"We have to exert diplomatic efforts to hold the next round of six-party talks hopefully by the end of this year," South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon told AFP amid preparations for an Asian summit in Laos next week.

"We have explained our position and I think that it is high time that the North Koreans make a strategic decision," he said.

Ban later discussed the simmering nuclear dispute with his counterparts from China and Japan, where the outlines of a new consensus on an end-of-year timeframe appeared to be emerging.

"All three agreed that North Korea should agree to resume the six-party talks as soon as possible, hopefully by the end of this year," said Hatsuhisa Takashima, a Japanese foreign ministry spokesman.

The remarks followed heightened speculation that the stalled six-party talks could resume soon.

South Korea's state-run KBS television network reported Friday informal six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear programme may take place between December 15 and 23 in Beijing.

"The point is that since the American presidential election is over, it is a fact that North Korea has to deal with the Bush administration for the coming four more years," said Takashima. "They have no other way."

Three rounds of six-party talks have taken place since the standoff over North Korea's drive for nuclear weapons began in October 2002. The North boycotted a fourth round set for September, blaming hostility from Washington.

One of the apparent reasons for Pyongyang's foot-dragging was its wish to await the outcome of the US presidential election.

The talks involve the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas.

When the foreign ministers of South Korea, China and Japan met Saturday, they agreed that a "stick-and-carrot" approach might be necessary to lure North Korea back to the negotiating table, Takashima said.

"The three countries will work hard together with the other parties to hold talks at an early date," Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said as he emerged from the discussions. "Our timetable is 'the sooner the better'."

China is believed to be the country with the most direct influence on North Korea, due to traditional political ties going back three generations combined with generous fuel and food aid.

But all parties should do their best to get it back to the negotiations, Japan's Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said.

"Each country has its own channel so that we will exercise our influence upon (North Korea)," he said. "China will do their best, I'm sure."

The South Korean foreign minister, Ban, said Seoul would prefer a high-level round of six-nation talks but failing that, lower-level talks would also be a possibility.

"We hope to have a formal meeting at the chief delegates' level, however we are flexible about the format of the meeting," he said, adding that "intensive diplomatic efforts" were under way.

The confrontation began in October 2002 when Washington accused Pyongyang of running a covert uranium-enrichment programme.

North Korea has since denied running such a programme. But it has demanded economic and diplomatic concessions in return for refreezing an older, plutonium-based nuclear arms programme mothballed in 1994.

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