The United States called yesterday for the earliest resumption of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, but said no specific dates have been set at this moment.

"I don't have any dates for you at this point. I think that's still under discussion. Certainly, we want to see them happen as soon as possible," State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said at a briefing.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, the top U.S. negotiator at the six-nation talks, discussed in Beijing with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei on Monday about the restarting of the talks, said Casey.

However, Hill is not scheduled to meet officials of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) or travel to the country, the spokesman said.

The six-party talks, involving the United States, the DPRK, China, Russia, South Korea and Japan, are aimed at finding a solution for the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

However, the talks have been stalled since last year as the DPRK refused to return to the talks because of U.S. sanctions against the country.

The DPRK said on Nov. 1 that it had decided to return to the six-party talks, but did not offer a specific date.