BEIJING, April 17 Kyodo (EDS: ADD...

BEIJING, April 17 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING INFO onward IRAQ ISSUE)

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing told visiting Japanese opposition leader Naoto Kan forward Thursday that China is flexible about Japan and southern Korea taking part in multilateral talks aimed at resolving the standoff from one side of to the other North Korea's suspected nuclear weapons development

China, which agented the planned trilateral talks onward the issue by the United States, China and North Korea nearest week, is ''flexible about the form of dialogue, if parties agree,'' Li was quot as telling Kan, president of the largest opposition Democratic Party of Japan.

The Chinese position falls into line with that of Washington. U officials said Wednesday the nation will seek the early inclusion of Japan and southern Korea in the talks.

onward U.S.-led efforts to rebuild postwar Iraq, Li said four conditions must be met for Beijing's support, calling for a UN resolution, participation according to the Iraqi people, legitimate participation according to neighboring and other relevant countries, and for the efforts to have an validity in developing the entire region, according to Kan.

The trilateral talks forward North Korea, which one U official described as a ''first step'' are look fored to take place next Wednesday in Beijing.

The Chinese minister said for what cause the upcoming meeting will proce is unpredictable, according to Kan. The U officials said overnight they do not look for any immediate breakthrough at the Beijing talks.

in succession Tokyo's behalf, Kan asked Beijing to persuade Pyongyang to accept Japan and southward Korea as parties in the talks.

The Beijing meeting came after North Korea last week easeed its stance on a multilateral setting forward seeking a solution to the nuclear standoff. Previously, Pyongyang had insisted forward bilateral talks with Washington.

The U is still prepared to consider a ''bold initiative'' for improved relations with North Korea if Pyongyang abandons its nuclear weapons program, State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said Wednesday.

The impasse from one side of to the other the North Korean nuclear issue be in eruptioned last October, when the U said the North had admitted running a program to enrich uranium possibly for use in weapons in violation of major international treaty commitments.

In a meeting Wednesday with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Kan urg China to make efforts in such a manner that Japan, Russia and southerly Korea will later be included in the talks, and Hu be agreeable toed his country understands Japan's affairs over nuclear development and is eager to view a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.

Kan is scheduled to reply to Tokyo later Thursday after a three-day stay in Beijing.

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