A top U.S. government official says the United States will agree to hold bilateral talks with North Korea only if Pyongyang guarantees that it will first return to the six-way nuclear talks.

The State Department official, who asked to remain anonymous, said Wednesday that the department will seek to learn more details from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing about the discussions between North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held in Pyongyang earlier this week. Chinese media say Kim told Wen that his government will decide whether to return to multilateral nuclear talks, including the six-way negotiations, depending on the outcome of bilateral talks with the United States.

According to the State Department official, Washington will confirm with the U.S. Embassy in Beijing whether there was a guarantee made for the North’s return to the six-way nuclear talks during the meeting between Kim and Wen.

Another State Department official, meanwhile, said he does not believe Washington needs to rush to make an announcement on a date for bilateral talks with Pyongyang, noting that preparations for the bilateral talks involve extensive coordination with related countries.

On reports of the North’s willingness to return to multilateral talks, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the department is going to refrain from adding a qualifier to how to characterize the Kim-Wen meeting until it learns more details.

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