Bush Patience with N Korea ''not unlimited''

CAMP DAVID, Md, Apr 27 (Reuters) The United States and its allies are willing to allow North Korea some leeway in meeting its commitments on nuclear disarmament, President George W Bush said today, but he warned patience would eventually run out.

''Our partners in the six-party talks are patient but our patience is not unlimited,'' Bush said after talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Under a deal reached in February, North Korea pledged to start shutting its Yongbyon nuclear reactor by April 14 in return for energy aid and security assurances. But that deadline passed without implementation of the deal.

Some Japanese officials are worried about an apparent softening of Washington's stance towards North Korea that led to the agreement.

Reflecting that concern, Abe said at the joint news conference with Bush that the state of the six-party talks aimed at getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program was ''regrettable.'' REUTERS RJ PM2135