The United States says it hopes a meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will result in North Korea deciding to return to the six-way talks.

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told a daily briefing Monday that the U.S. supports any dialogue that helps facilitate the ultimate goal shared by all the partners in the six-party talks, which is the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

But Kelly was cautious on Kim's reported remarks to Wen that the North is willing to return to the six-party talks. The spokesman said the U.S. has heard the reports but has yet to confirm them.

Another top diplomatic source says the U.S. is waiting for an official comment out of North Korea as to its intent to return to the six-way talks.

Kim reportedly told Wen that whether or not the North is willing to join multilateral talks, including the six-way nuclear dialogue, depends on the outcome of bilateral talks with the United States.