Yudhoyono delays N. Korea visit, Manila offers 6-way talks venue

''The schedule we had proposed to them didn't match to theirs, because during the proposed time their chief of the Presidium (of the Supreme People's Assembly) will be visiting other countries -- Mongolia and Africa,'' Wirajuda told reporters, referring to North Korea's No. 2 leader Kim Yong Nam.

''We agreed to rearrange in another time comfortable for both sides,'' he added. ''We are still in the process of discussion with North Korea and with God willing, the visit can be materialized.''

Earlier this year, Wirajuda had said Yudhoyono might pay a ''package'' of visits to North and South Koreas in the middle of this year.

The visit to South Korea will take place July 23 to 25.

Yudhoyono was to visit the two Koreas in July last year, but the trips were postponed because of tension caused by North Korea's missile launches the same month.

Indonesia has maintained a strong relationship with North Korea since the era of Indonesia's founding father and first President Sukarno and the late North Korea leader Kim Il Sung, father of Kim Jong Il, North Korea's top leader.

In a related development, visiting Philippine Foreign Minister Alberto Romulo said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has offered members of the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear ambitions to use Manila to continue their talks.

The Philippines will host this year's ASEAN Regional Forum, an Asia-Pacific security forum, in which the six-party countries -- North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States -- are members, on Aug. 2.

''I have personally invited the foreign ministers of the six-party talks to attend the ARF (and) President Arroyo has offered their attendance in Manila as an opportunity to meet,'' Romulo said at a joint press conference with Wirajuda.

A meeting among the chief delegates to the six-way talks will be held July 18-19 in Beijing, marking the first time for the head negotiators to meet together since the last session went into recess in late March.

Under a Feb. 13 denuclearization agreement, North Korea is to shut down and seal its nuclear facilities and invite International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back into the country in exchange for the start of shipment of the fuel oil as the initial steps.

While a banking dispute had held up the implementation of the measures, the row was solved last month and the first portion of 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil left a South Korean port Thursday and is expected to reach North Korea on Saturday.

IAEA inspectors are also due to arrive in North Korea on Saturday.

In the second stage, North Korea will be required to provide a complete declaration of all nuclear programs and disable all existing nuclear facilities, while other countries provide the country with assistance up to the equivalent of 950,000 tons of heavy fuel oil.

//Kyodo