N Korea talks to restart this year-Russia minister

MOSCOW, Nov 1 (Reuters) The first round of restarted six-country talks with North Korea will take place this year and probably in China, media quoted Russia's defence minister as saying today.

''These negotiations will resume this year and the most likely venue is China,'' Itar-Tass news agency quoted Sergei Ivanov as saying in an interview with the Russia Today television station.

The six-way talks -- which include North and South Korea, Japan, Russia, China and the United States -- have been suspended for the past year. Their aim is to persuade North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons programme.

Pyongyang said today it agreed to a new round. International sanctions were imposed on North Korea after it tested a nuclear device three weeks ago.

Reuters MS DB1139