The Bush administration said today that North Korea appeared ready to agree to proposed multiparty talks to resolve the impasse over the North's refusal to dismantle its accelerating nuclear weapons program. Administration officials and Asian diplomats said that while no formal word had been received in Washington, there were several indications that months of pressure had been successful in getting North Korea to meet the American demand for talks to include South Korea, Japan and possibly Russia. China took part in discussions with the United States and the North in April. Foremost among the new indications was an announcement from the Foreign Ministry in Moscow that North Korea had accepted the proposal for multiparty talks with the other countries, including Russia. It had not been clear until then that Russia would take part. Subsequently, administration officials said that in a telephone conversation on Wednesday, President Hu Jintao of China had told President Bush he expected a positive response from Pyongyang, the North Korea capital. Richard A. Boucher, the State Department spokesman, said the United States was "very encouraged" by these signs, but he and other officials said there had been no formal acceptance transmitted. Asian and American diplomats said that the talks could occur in August but that September was more likely.
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