By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
North Korea has no intention of returning to the six-nation nuclear disarmament talks yet, according to Moscow's top diplomat.
Sergei Lavrov, who was in Seoul Friday after a visit to Pyongyang, also said that the calls for expanded sanctions on North Korea, following its April 5 rocket launch, would be ``unconstructive.''
In a joint news conference with his South Korean counterpart, Yu Myung-hwan, the Russian foreign minister urged patience in efforts by related nations to bring the Stalinist state back to the negotiating table.
``North Korea has no intention to return to the six-way talks yet,'' Lavrov said through a translator.
``Right now, the top priority is to create conditions for the resumption of the six-way talks and the related nations should approach the matter calmly, not emotionally.''
Russia is a member of the six-nation talks along with the two Koreas, the United States, China and Japan.
Lavrov, who said he didn't meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il during his Pyongyang visit, said his country suggested North Korea use its rocket launching facilities in line with increasing regional collaboration in space programs.
He also urged Pyongyang to rejoin the non-proliferation treaty in the meetings with Kim Young-nam, North Korea's No. 2 leader, and Pak Ui-chun, the foreign minister.
Lavrov arrived in Seoul earlier in the day after a two-day trip to Pyongyang on a mission to help revive the stalled disarmament talks. He was the first high-level foreign official to visit North Korea since the rocket launch and the United Nations Security Council threat of expanded sanctions.
UNSC's presidential statement called on member states to tighten sanctions against North Korean entities that proliferate weapons of mass destruction, and to strengthen punitive measures imposed on Pyongyang after its missile and nuclear tests in 2006.
North Korea, in response, said any UN attempt to punish its rocket launch would mean the end of a landmark accord signed by the six nations on Sept. 19, 2005. The agreement called for North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program in return for economic aid, diplomatic recognition and a security guarantee from the U.S.
``According to the agreements on the Sept. 19 joint statement, the related nations agreed to provide energy aid, but this hasn't been realized,'' Lavrov said.
``Rather than complicate the matters by trying to solve the matters through a military alliance and other forceful ways, the related nations must show further commitment to resolve the matter peacefully.''