May 19, 2002	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 6, 1423

MOSCOW, May 18: Russia does not share US President George Bush’s belief in an “axis of evil,” the Russian foreign ministry said Saturday on the eve of a high-level diplomatic visit from North Korea.

“While we do not share certain ideological or political concepts with our partners, we must seek to build closer ties to friendly nations,” ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said in a reference to North Korea, quoted by news agency RIA Novosti.

North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun will visit here May 20-22 for talks focusing on political and economic ties.

Paek’s visit falls only one day before the arrival of Bush for his four-day summit with President Vladimir Putin.—AFP