DPRK 'ready for renewal of nuclear talks'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was ready to resume stalled international talks on its nuclear program.

The DPRK's ambassador to the United Nations told Reuters in Geneva last month that it was prepared to resume the Six-Party Talks but must maintain its readiness in the face of joint US-Republic of Korea military exercises.

Lavrov said at a news conference on Thursday, "We got assurances from the high representative of the DPRK that Pyongyang is ready for the restart of Six-Party Talks, without pre-conditions."

He said a special envoy of DPRK leader Kim Jong-un met Russian President Vladimir Putin this week to deliver a letter promising "cooperation in solving problems that are now lingering on the Korean Peninsula".

The visit to Moscow by envoy Choe Ryong-hae comes as Pyongyang is trying to counter a resolution by a United Nations' human rights body urging the referral of the DPRK to the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.

Russia voted against the resolution, and Lavrov criticized it on Thursday as "confrontational" and "counterproductive".

Choe, who did not address reporters after the talks, praised his Tuesday meeting with Putin as "substantial and landmark," expressing hope that the two nations - and Putin and Kim - would strengthen ties.

"I had the honor of having a meeting with Putin and passing him a personal message from the respected comrade Kim Jong-un," Choe said at the start of talks with Lavrov.

China, the DPRK, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the United States and Japan began talks in 2003 to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons, but the talks were suspended after Pyongyang tested nuclear devices in 2006 and 2009.

The US says Pyongyang must take meaningful steps toward denuclearization and refrain from provocative acts before talks could resume.

'Ties at new level'

Russia is seeking to expand economic ties with the DPRK and is eyeing a project worth about $25 billion to overhaul a Russian railway network in return for access to mineral resources.

Lavrov said after Thursday's talks that the two countries, which share a border, were keen to link the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Korean railway networks.

He said Pyongyang expressed readiness to participate in trilateral energy projects that would also involve the ROK.

"Investors from the ROK, China and Mongolia also intend to join these projects," Lavrov said.

"Our trade and economic ties are entering a new level."

Choe is also set to visit far eastern Russia.