"Of course I don't think so," foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan told reporters when asked whether China believed it had failed in its efforts to coax the Stalinist state back to the negotiating table.

He said that despite the continuing impasse, the current situation was a vast improvement from before the six-way process began in 2003.

"All sides have been building consensus among themselves and we have a much clearer picture of the questions we need to settle," Kong said. "These results have not come by easily."

China has brokered three rounds of six-party talks aimed at resolving the crisis over the North's nuclear weapons program. They also involve South Korea, the United States, Japan and Russia.

North Korea snubbed a fourth round last September, citing Washington's "hostile policy", and two weeks ago announced it had developed nuclear weapons and was pulling out of all negotiations indefinitely.

The regime has since backtracked with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il indicating this week that he was willing to return to the talks, but only under the right conditions.

The North's unpredictable behaviour has remained a headache for China, which is seen as its principal ally and economic sponsor. Some analysts have questioned how much clout China actually has with the North.

The United States and North Korea have been locked in a stand-off since October 2002 when Washington accused Pyongyang of operating a secret program based on highly-enriched uranium, violating a 1994 arms control agreement.

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