Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he used his visit to North Korea to call on the communist country to attend the next round of six-nation talks on dismantling its nuclear program.

Downer met North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun and National Assembly President Kim Yong Nam yesterday in Pyongyang.

``I very much hope that they will attend the six-party talks,'' Downer told journalists in the North Korean capital yesterday, according to an e-mailed transcript. ``That remains to be seen. They haven't said they won't.''

North Korea's government said earlier this week increasingly hostile policies by the U.S. will ensure there is no progress in the six-nation discussions. A fourth round of talks, involving the U.S., North Korea, Japan, China, South Korea and Russia, is due to take place before the end of September. South Korea's government said yesterday the six nations have yet to agree when the meeting will take place.

Australia is one of the few Western nations to have diplomatic relations with North Korea, establishing ties with the country in 2000. Downer said he is concerned the nuclear talks process is ``stalling.''

``I hope that we have been able to add some substantial momentum to the process,'' Downer said. ``This is an issue for the Asian region and it is an issue for the broader international community,'' Downer said. It isn't just a dispute between North Korea and the U.S., he said.

North Korean Comment

North Korea's government issued only a brief statement on the meetings with Downer.

``At the talks, both sides exchanged views on a series of issues of bilateral concern including the nuclear issue,'' the official Korean Central News Agency reported.

The U.S. and North Korean governments said progress was made in the third round of talks in Beijing at the end of June because both sides presented proposals for discussion.

The U.S. in June offered to help end North Korea's economic and political isolation once the country dismantles the nuclear program after freezing it for three months.

``The response to the U.S. package is pretty negative,'' Downer said. ``On the other hand, there are common elements. Both sides talk about a nuclear freeze and the eventual dismantlement of the nuclear program. Both sides are talking about assistance.''

North Korea wants fuel and economic aid and guarantees the U.S. won't invade the country in return for freezing its programs. It has said the freeze would be a first step in a process leading to the dismantling of its nuclear plants.

China's Appeal

China, which hosted the three rounds of six-nation talks, earlier this week called on all parties to continue the meetings.

``We hope that all parties can hold the work group meeting as soon as possible, to participate in the meeting and to put forward the issues on the table,'' Ning Fukui, China's ambassador in charge of North Korean talks, said in Beijing.

During Downer's visit, North Korea again criticized U.S. policy toward the country.

``The basic foundation of the six-party talks is collapsing due to the recent reckless smear campaign of the U.S.,'' the Korean Central News Agency said yesterday, citing a commentary in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper. The newspaper cited U.S. references to human rights, drug trafficking and North Korean defectors as being part of the campaign, the news agency reported.

The nuclear dispute began in October 2002 when North Korea told the U.S. that it had broken a 1994 agreement and was continuing its nuclear development program.

To contact the reporter on this story: Gemma Daley in Canberra at gdaley@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: August 18, 2004 21:01 EDT