Across the Nation

U.S., North Korea join communique

WASHINGTON - The Clinton administration and North Korea yesterday took one of the biggest steps in nearly 50 years toward ending their bitter hostilities, issuing a historic joint communique asserting that they had decided to "fundamentally improve" their relations.

They also announced that President Clinton is likely to make a ground-breaking visit to North Korea before he leaves office in January.

"The U.S. and the (North Korean) sides stated that they are prepared to undertake a new direction in their relations ... free from past enmity," the two governments said in the communique, issued at the end of a visit here by a senior North Korean military leader. Such a written communique carries weight and enduring importance well beyond that of routine presidential utterances.

North Korea did not, for now, win its objective of being taken off the U.S. list of states that support terrorism. That designation prevents the North from getting international loans for its hard-pressed economy.

The United States did not win a permanent commitment from North Korea to stop its missile-development program, only a continuation of the qualified, temporary freeze on launches.

Instead, the two governments appeared to have set aside the settlement of such issues so they could be announced by Clinton and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il when the U.S. president visits the Asian nation.

FCC may expand tenant phone options

WASHINGTON - Small businesses and apartment tenants could get more choices for their telephone service under modest steps taken by regulators yesterday.

The Federal Communications Commission voted to bar phone companies from getting exclusive rights to serve office buildings with multiple businesses and said it would weigh expanding those rules to residential apartment buildings.

But, careful not to trigger charges of overstepping its jurisdiction, the FCC shied away from placing any mandates on landlords themselves.

The commission's rules also block telephone companies from negotiating with commercial building owners for exclusive access to premises where they can set up equipment. Phone companies that control these areas in apartment complexes, campuses and office buildings would have to give other carriers and cable companies access, under the agency's action.

"Access to the 'last 100 feet' is one of the last remaining barriers to complete end-to-end competition for telecommunications services," said FCC Chairman William Kennard.

About a third of all Americans live in some type of multiunit complex, according to industry experts.

GOP planning to push spending bill

WASHINGTON -- After weeks of trying to accommodate the White House on key budget issues, House Republican leaders are pushing for a more confrontational strategy over a giant health and education spending bill, the largest piece of unfinished business in the final days of the session.

Unable to resolve their differences over spending for new school construction and for hiring new teachers to reduce class sizes, GOP leaders are prepared to challenge President Clinton to either sign or veto a GOP-crafted labor, health and education bill rather than making further concessions.