U.S. President George W. Bush has called on Chinese President Hu Jintao to keep U.N. sanctions on North Korea in place despite a recent landmark nuclear deal achieved with the North.

According to U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe, during a telephone conversation with Hu Thursday Bush stressed the continued need for nations to fully implement the current U.N. sanctions against the North.

Johndroe said Bush congratulated Hu on the important role that China played in helping bring about the nuclear deal reached earlier this week.

Bush also told Hu that "it was now up to the leader of North Korea to live up to the commitments made in order to create a better life for the North Korean people."

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