Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said...
"The resumption of six-party talks [with North Korea] is mandatory, and now circumstances for holding them are a bit better than earlier," Lavrov said at a news conference after a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Katsuya Okada in Moscow.
"We consider it necessary to discuss all questions that arise in a particular format, taking into consideration the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council remain in force," he said.
The Russian foreign minister answered negatively, when asked a question on whether certain parties are attempting to push Russia and Japan out of the talks.
"I do not think that someone seriously intends to move Russia, Japan or any other participant in six-party talks aside," he said, adding the attempt to hold direct talks between Washington and Pyongyang undertaken by the U.S."s previous administration had not simply "failed," but has "contributed to the current worsening of the situation."