Santiago (Chile), Nov. 21 (Reuters): President George W. Bush declared a united front on Saturday between the US and Asian allies on demanding North Korea return to stalled talks about giving up its nuclear weapons programme.

After urging the leaders of China, Japan, South Korea and Russia to provide a ?common voice? with Washington on North Korea, Bush claimed progress and US secretary of state Colin Powell said a South Korean proposal was in the mix for talks.

On the fringes of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this weekend, Bush also described Iran?s nuclear intentions, including its accelerated uranium enrichment, as a ?serious matter.?

?Five Apec members are working to convince North Korea to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons,? Bush said in a speech to business executives.

?And I can report to you today, having visited with the other nations involved in that collaborative effort, that the will is strong, that the effort is united, and the message is clear to Kim Jong-il: Get rid of your nuclear weapons programmes,? Bush said, referring to the North Korean leader.

North Korea refused to attend talks in September, and Bush?s goal at the Apec summit this weekend was to rally the allies to persuade Pyongyang to agree to a new round of six-party talks by the end of the year or early next year.

Powell cited three proposals for a new round of talks in what could be a sign of US flexibility: a North Korean proposal, a US proposal and a South Korean proposal. ?Let?s discuss these proposals at the table and not by public exchange of our views,? he said at a news conference with Chilean foreign minister Ignacio Walker.

By mentioning the earlier South Korean proposal, Powell may have been signaling North Korea could hope to win more energy aid and more swiftly than in the US offer if it returned to the talks.

US negotiators face divisions among parties to the talks who have pressured Washington to make more concessions to North Korea on top of its June proposal to allow South Korea and Japan to provide the North with aid.

US officials said after the talks each leader expressed solidarity with the six-party format.

Bush particularly wanted Chinese help on North Korea.