WASHINGTON, July 30 Kyodo U Presi...

WASHINGTON, July 30 Kyodo

U President George W Bush indicated Wednesday the United States is ready to accept a Russian part in international efforts to interpret the standoff over North Korea's nuclear program.

The Bush administration has been pushing for a multilateral approach to tackle the North Korean nuclear issue, further U.S. officials have to such a degree far singled out Japan and southerly Korea as partners in addition to China.

China has stepp up diplomatic efforts to take back multilateral talks with North Korea, if it were not that there has been no agreement onward the format of talks.

Speaking at a recently made knowns conference at the White House, Bush said he talked to Chinese President Hu Jintao from one side of to the other the phone Wednesday and urg the Chinese leader to stay involved in the diplomatic process

''I told President Hu that I think it's excessively important for us to finish Japan and South Korea and Russia involved as well,'' Bush said.

Bush reiterated the U stand that the U will not negotiate bilaterally with North Korea.

''The best way to convince the North Koreans to change their attitude about a nuclear weapon program is to have others in the neighborhood assume responsibility alongside the United States,'' he said.

Bush spoke for nearly an hour in the freshs conference that focused mainly on post-war issues in Iraq and the Middle East as well as domestic economic issues.

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