"As for a resumption date for the six-party talks, relevant parties have presented their ideas and proposals," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters.

"China holds an open attitude to these proposals. We are making active consultations with relevant parties," he said.

China is the host of the six-nation talks, which began in 2003 in an effort to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programme.

The other four nations involved are the United States, South Korea, Russia and Japan.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov was quoted by ITAR-TASS news agency as saying on Wednesday that the talks could resume next week.

The potential restart of the talks comes after UN nuclear inspectors, the US envoy to the talks, Christopher Hill, and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi have all visited North Korea over the past fortnight.

North Korean officials told their guests that the country was prepared to close its main nuclear reactor at Yongbyon, which is the first major step it must take in implementing a six-nation disarmament accord brokered in February.

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