Russia says DPRK's return to six-party talks important event in 2009

MOSCOW, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Russia considers Pyongyang's readiness to resume the six-party talks an important event in 2009,Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin said Wednesday.

"As a result of joint efforts by all parties of the six-nation talks, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has agreed to resume the negotiations," Borodavkin said at a press conference.

"This is a breakthrough and I believe that the talks will restart at the beginning of next year," he said.

The deputy foreign minister expressed hope that China, which is chairing the process, will play a leading role and the DPRK will show flexibility during the negotiations.

Borodavkin added that the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, should take part in talks on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

"This is an important element in our position and we will promote it," he said.

The six-party nuclear talks, involving China, the DPRK, the United States, South Korea, Russia and Japan, have been stalled since the DPRK quit the talks in April in protest against U.S. condemnation of its missile tests.

Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. special envoy to the DPRK, visited Pyongyang earlier this month to persuade the DPRK to return to negotiating table.