Russia urges N Korea to observe 'maximum restraint'

Moscow, Oct 24 (UNI) Calling for 'maximum restraint,' Russia today expressed hope that North Korea will not carry out a second nuclear test.

''Hopefully, it would not happen,'' Russian Fooreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Itar-Tass news agency on the sidelines of the World Congress of Compatriots in St Petersburg.

''We have firmly called on North Korea to keep maximum restraint and return to the negotiating table,'' Mr Lavrov said.

''It is important that all the participants in the six-party talks proceed from same positions and not make the moves which would mount tensions,'' he noted.

Two Koreas, China, Russia, the US and Japan have participated in the stalled talks aimed at persuading Pyongyang to give up its controversial nuclear programme.

Russia had advocated the resumption of the talks, urging the United States and North Korea to take a more flexible approach to the standoff, to help the talks start again.

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