Prospects are dim for a summit meeting between Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and U.S. President Barack Obama to discuss the relocation of a Marine Corps airstrip in Okinawa's Ginowan city anytime soon, government officials of both sides said.

In a press briefing Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs dismissed a suggestion that summit talks could take place on the sidelines of the 15th U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen.

"We did that a couple of weeks ago ...and I think the (Futenma issue) working group ...is the best way to continue that progress," Gibbs said.

The message was a snub to Hatoyama, who has repeatedly stated that he intends to convey his government's stance soon to the U.S. side.

Hatoyama has also said he hopes to discuss the issue with Obama in Copenhagen.

Gibbs, however, reiterated Washington's position that it wants Tokyo to stick to the relocation plan agreed upon in 2006.

Under that plan, the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma would be moved to the Henoko district of Nago in the northern part of the main Okinawa island.

"We have an agreement with the previous administration in Japan. We set up a working group to discuss the implementation of that agreement, and we're anxious for those conversations to continue," Gibbs said.

In Bali on Thursday, where Hatoyama is co-chairing the Bali Democracy Forum, the prime minister acknowledged it was too early for such a meeting, as Tokyo has not yet mapped out its plan to offer the U.S. side.

"We have yet to decide on a position to present to President Obama. We hope soon, before the end of the year, to decide what direction to take. So we are still not on a level to formally discuss whether or not to hold talks," Hatoyama told reporters.

Foreign Ministry officials had earlier indicated that Obama's COP15 schedule was already tight and that setting up a meeting would be difficult.