Russia calls for constructive work at six-party nuclear talks

Moscow, July 16 (UNI) Stressing cautious optimism, Russia today called for constructive work at the six-party talks on North Korean nuclear problem to be resumed in Beijing on July 18.

The talks with the participation of two Koreas, Russia, China, US and Japan will outline the next phase of ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programme that has been subject of international concern for many years.

''We are heading towards the talks with cautious optimism. We deem the resumption of the talks important and are determined to work to promote them further,'' Russia's special envoy Vladimir Rakhmanin said here in a statement.

''We believe it is important to exercise patience, to avoid dramatising possible difficulties and to make a concerted effort to achieve our mutual goal - the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula by peaceful means under international monitoring,'' RIA Novosti news agency quoted him as saying.

''This will be the Russian delegation's guiding principle,'' Mr Rakhmanin added.

IAEA's inspectors, who arrived in Pyongyang, confirmed today the shutdown by North Korea of its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon, about 100 kilometres north of the capital as part of a disarmament deal reached in February.

The shutdown of the Yongbyon reactor is the first phase of the disarmament deal, which stipulates other economic and diplomatic incentives to North Korea.

Under the deal, Pyongyang will initially receive 50,000 metric tons of heavy fuel oil from its neighbour, South Korea. Later, US, Russia and China will supply another 950,000 metric tonnes.

Mr Rakhmanin said the second phase would include the North Korea providing information on all its nuclear programmes, including its uranium enrichment and shutting down all nuclear facilities.

''We are planning during the next round of talks to determine where we are in terms of implementing the first phase of the February 13 deal, and map out further steps for the second phase,'' he pointed out.

UNI