Downer, who flew to Pyongyang Tuesday, held separate talks with his North Korean counterpart Paek Nam-Sun and parliamentary head Kim Yong-Nam, the official Korean Central News Agency said.

"At the talks both sides exchanged views on a series of issues of bilateral concern including the nuclear issue," the agency said without elaborating.

Downer's North Korea visit came as Pyongyang expressed skepticism about attending a preparatory meeting for the next round of six-nation talks due next month in an effort to end the nuclear stand-off.

A delegation led by Downer met for almost four hours with the senior North Korean officials in Pyongyang on Wednesday, the Australian Associated Press reported.

"I've been very happy with the way the discussions have progressed," Downer was quoted as telling reporters before leaving Pyongyang. "But it is going to be a long, hard process."

He said the North Koreans failed to confirm they would attend the next round of talks aimed at resolving the crisis and involving the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and North Korea.

"As we knew before we came here, the working group has not been scheduled, which is disappointing, but I very much hope that they will attend the six-party talks," Downer said.

Asked whether North Korea planned to come, he said only: "They haven't said they won't."

Downer, who had asserted that Australia had an important role to play in resolving the near two-year impasse over the North's nuclear weapons drive, said Pyongyang's response to the United States' efforts to resolve the crisis were "pretty negative."

However, he said he hoped that both sides would be able to find common ground.

"We hope that they (the North Koreans) will focus very much on seeing the common elements as a foundation for the work that they do in the six-party talks," Downer said.

"So I think it's been very much worthwhile having these discussions," said Downer, who was on his second trip to North Korea since Australia resumed relations with Pyongyang in 2000.

Australia is one of a few US allies which has diplomatic ties with North Korea.

A third round of six-nation talks in Beijing ended in June without tangible progress.

The nuclear stand-off flared up in October 2002 when the United States accused North Korea of operating a nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium, violating a 1994 nuclear safeguard accord.

WAR.WIRE