A Chong Wa Dae official said Tuesday that the government would strive to make a final decision on a possible troop dispatch to Iraq before the end of October at the latest.

The official said that the South Korean government must make its stance clear on the troop dispatch to create a more productive atmosphere for US-South Korean summit talks, scheduled to be held in Bangkok late October on the sidelines of the APEC summit meeting.

The official also added that national security adviser Ra Jong Il is to visit Washington in mid-October to discuss the issue with US officials in compliance with the instructions by President Roh Moo Hyun. Roh has previously said that there should be more thorough investigation and scrutiny before a final decision on the troops dispatch is made.