Putin Calls For Resumption Of North Korean Nuclear Talks

MOSCOW (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin called here for the resumption of six-nation talks to convince North Korea to drop its nuclear weapons program.
"Russia calls for the non-nuclear status of the Korean peninsula and for the continuation of the six-party negotiation process" on the North Korean nuclear issue, Putin said after talks with his South Korean counterpart Roh Moo-hyun.
The Russian leader said Moscow would continue to support efforts toward a resumption of dialogue and construction of closer ties between North Korea and South Korea.
Roh welcomed Putin`s remarks, saying that Seoul appreciated "the constructive role of the Russian government in the peaceful resolution" of the North Korean nuclear issue.
North Korea and South Korea, supported by the United States, China, Japan and Russia, have held several rounds of negotiations aimed at persuading the isolated Stalinist state to abandon its nuclear weapons drive.
North Korea however has balked at returning to the negotiating table for another round of talks by the end of this month as planned, and the other members of the six-party process have admitted the talks were unlikely to take place on schedule.