Russia, U.S. hail DPRK's readiness to rejoin six-party talks

MOSCOW, Dec. 14 -- Russia and the United States welcomed signals from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) that it was ready to rejoin the six-party talks, Russian news agencies reported on Monday.

"I welcome the DPRK's adherence to the six-nation negotiating process," Russia's chief nuclear envoy and Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin told a press briefing after meeting with Steven Bosworth, the U.S. special envoy to the DPRK.

Bosworth, who paid a visit to Pyongyang last week, said the United States was inspired by the DPRK's willingness to resume the talks.

The United States highly values the negotiations and is glad that the soonest possible resumption of the talks has been confirmed, he said.

The U.S. envoy, however, said no timetable had been set for the nuclear disarmament talks.

Borodavkin lauded his talks with the U.S. officials. "The consultations were very frank," he said.

Launched in 2003, the six-party talks on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula involve China, the DPRK, the United States, South Korea, Russia and Japan.

The DPRK quit the forum in April in protest against the U.S. condemnation of its missile tests, but it hinted last week it would end its boycott of the negotiations.