Russia to get NKorea 25mn dollar: Itar-Tass

Moscow, June 22: Russia believes 25 million dollars in unfrozen North Korean funds will arrive in one of its banks today, deputy foreign minister Alexander Losyukov was quoted by Itar-Tass as saying, as part of a nuclear deal.

''I have been led to believe that the money will appear today,'' he said.

It is not clear which Russian bank will hold the North Korean cash. The Russians have said they had given permission to a bank based in its Far East to take the money.

North Korea has declined to honour a February disarmament pact with five powers -- the United States, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia -- until it receives the money that had been frozen in a bank in Macau.

Losyukov was also quoted as saying the next round of six-power talks could take place at the end of July or in August.

International banks had shied away from receiving the money on behalf of North Korea because of sanctions and the stigma of dealing with Pyongyang's cash.

Russia has said the United States has promised not to impose sanctions on the Russian bank.

Reuters>