"We are hoping that the DPRK and the United States are able to patiently continue the search for a solution through negotiations that would lead to the return of the DPRK to the non-proliferation regime while guaranteeing its sovereignty and interests of economic development," Losyukov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

Losyukov made the statement after the US-DPRK talks on the nuclear issue ended in Beijing on Friday.

"We believe that it is necessary to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear choice, which could be promoted by giving reliable guarantees of security and non-interference, including possibly ona multilateral basis," he said.

The DPRK nuclear crisis flared up in October last year when US officials said the DPRK admitted it had a clandestine nuclear program in violation of a 1994 agreement with the United States.

Washington suspended oil shipments to the DPRK promised under the agreement, and the DPRK responded by kicking out international weapons inspectors, withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and later reactivating a nuclear reactor for purpose of generating electricity.

Russia has expressed its readiness to take part in the multilateral talks after the DPRK softened stance on the crisis.

"Russia... is ready to continue to do its best to ensure that the events follow this path of development, thus helping resolve aserious international crisis that has arisen near its borders," the diplomat said.

Losyukov said it is now too early to comment on the results of the US-DPRK talks in Beijing and information on the DPRK's possession of nuclear weapons.

"We are not yet fully clear how the negotiations proceeded, what was discussed and whether they will be continued," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2003)