A top U.S. official says that decisions on bilateral talks with North Korea will be reached before President Barack Obama leaves for his Asian tour on Wednesday.

The official was referring to whether Washington will accept North Korea's invitation for U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth to visit the North. He then hinted that all signs point to the ambassador heading to Pyongyang sometime after Obama returns from Asia.

Bosworth himself has said that the U.S. government will decide soon on talks with North Korea and that if he does visit the North, it would most likely be within weeks after Obama returns home.

On his tour, Obama will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Singapore and will also visit South Korea, China and Japan.