Russia Urges N.Korea to Work for Nuclear Talks Revival
Russian diplomats on Thursday held several hours of talks with a high-ranking North Korean official, urging Pyongyang to ramp up efforts to revive the stalled six-party nuclear negotiations.
"The Russian side stressed the need to unite efforts in the interests of easing tensions (and) creating conditions for the earliest resumption of the six-party talks," the foreign ministry said in a statement after top Russian diplomats met with North Korea's first vice foreign minister Kim Kye-Gwan.
"It has been noted that the normalization of the situation on the (Korean) peninsula will allow to noticeably boost cooperation between Russia and North Korea in the practical areas as well as begin the implementation of large-scale multilateral economic projects," the statement said.
In Moscow, Kim held separate talks with first deputy foreign minister Vladimir Titov and deputy foreign minister Igor Morgulov.
Russian diplomats praised the talks which the Interfax news agency said lasted for five hours.
"The consultations were substantive, substantial and business-like," a diplomatic source told the news agency.
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Morgulov had said the parties planned to discuss ways to resuscitate the stalled negotiating process.
"Russia has always firmly insisted that the six-party process has no alternatives," he said.
Kim has been a key figure in the talks aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for aid and security guarantees.
The negotiations began in 2003 but have long been dormant. The six-party process also involves the United States, China, South Korea and Japan.
Kim's visit to Moscow comes as North Korea reaches out internationally after months of tensions triggered by its third nuclear test in February.
North Korea has said it will never give up its nuclear power but maintains it is open to direct talks with the United States.
Kim last month discussed restarting the six-party talks in Beijing with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Source: Agence France Presse
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