BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhuanet)-- A senior US official in charge of arms control and non-proliferation Monday said in Beijing that the United States had prepared a variety diplomatic options for the peaceful dismantling of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) nuclear weapons program.

　　John Robert Bolton, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, said the diplomatic options included multilateral negotiations, working through the United Nations Security Council, or taking other steps like the Proliferation Security Initiative.

　　The United States was flexible in how to resolve the issue, but the key was not the shape of the talks, but to establish a multilateral basis to dismantle the program in a complete, verifiable and universal way.

　　Bolton said the range of the multilateral talks was flexible, maybe including three or up to ten states. Russia, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan could all possibly be included.

　　Bolton said the Chinese government had devoted a lot of attention and effort to the question of getting multilateral negotiations underway. "We consider those efforts very important,"he noted.

　　China is the first stop of Bolton's Asia visit. On Monday, Bolton held talks with Chinese Vice-Foreign Ministers Zhang Yesui and Wang Yi, exchanging views on the DPRK nuclear issue, as well as issues of global security, non-proliferation and the Proliferation Security Initiative.

　　Bolton will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing Tuesday before flying to Seoul on the next leg of his Asia visit.

　　Bolton said he would also visit Japan, and the DPRK nuclear issue will be the focus of his talks both in the ROK and Japan. Enditem