The leaders of China, Japan and South Korea on Saturday issued a joint call for an "early resumption" of multilateral talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear drive.

"We will remain committed to dialogue and consultation and continue to work through peaceful means to pursue the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula," the leaders said in a joint statement issued after a morning summit.

"We will make joint efforts with other parties for an early resumption of the six-party talks, so as to safeguard peace and stability in Northeast Asia, and thereby to build an Asia of peace, harmony, openness and prosperity."

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao hosted talks with new Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak at the Great Hall of the People on Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

The three nations, along with Russia and the United States, are involved in long-stalled six-way nuclear disarmament negotiations with North Korea.

North Korea said Monday during a visit by Wen to Pyongyang that it was willing to return to the six-party forum ? but only if it first was granted direct negotiations with the United States.

Washington has said it would agree to bilateral talks within the six-party framework, but that the goal must be a complete end to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons drive.