BEIJING, Aug. 25 -- The six-way talks on North Korea's nuclear programs may resume on Sept. 2, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei said Thursday.

    "We are considering September 2," a spokesman for Japan's Social Democratic Party quoted visiting Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei as saying after a meeting with the party's leader.

    The spokesman said Wu did not elaborate on whether the United States or North Korea had agreed to that date.

    The six nations -- China, Japan, the two Koreas, Russia and the United States -- failed to hammer out a joint document aimed at getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear programs during the latest round of talks, which began in late July in Beijing, due to differences between Pyongyang and Washington.

    They decided to break for a three-week recess on Aug. 7 and resume the talks in the week starting Aug. 29.

    Wu Dawei met with Japanese Foreign Ministry officials on Wednesday, including Japan's top negotiator for the North Korea talks, Kenichiro Sasae.

    The discussions centered on the north's nuclear program, the timing and agenda of the next round of meetings, and relations between North Korea and Japan.

    The North insists it should still have the right to "peaceful" nuclear activities if it gives up its weapons, but Washington wants Pyongyang to be nuclear-free.

    Sasae confirmed with Wu that Japan continues to side with Washington, and calls for North Korea to completely dismantle its nuclear weapons program, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said after the Wednesday talks.

    Earlier this week, the United States predicted it could break an impasse over North Korea's demand in a sign of a softening U.S. stance.

    Chief U.S. negotiator, Christopher Hill, made this comment Tuesday, adding he cannot be more specific than that because they are in the middle of a negotiation.

    (Source: CRIENGLISH/Agencies)