MOSCOW, July 31: North Korea has agreed to a US proposal to hold six-nation talks to try to resolve its nuclear standoff with Washington, the Russian foreign ministry said on Thursday following a meeting with Pyongyang’s ambassador to Russia.

The foreign ministry said a formal message outlining Pyongyang’s position was delivered to Deputy Foreign Minister Yury Fedotov during a meeting requested by North Korea’s ambassador to Moscow, Pak Ui Chun.

“On his leadership’s instructions, the ambassador said that North Korea supports holding six-nation talks with Russia’s participation to resolve the current difficult situation on the Korean peninsula, and is taking active steps to organise (these talks),” the ministry said in a statement.

“Russia welcomed this constructive decision of Pyongyang,” it added.

The statement made no mention of earlier demands by Pyongyang that Washington offer security guarantees in the form of a non-aggression pact with North Korea in order for it to pursue negotiations.

Washington has been pressing for expanded dialogue with Pyongyang following initial three-way talks in Beijing in April involving China, North Korea and the United States.

North Korea, which has held out for one-on-one talks with the United States, has been considering a new US proposal for resuming three-party negotiations followed quickly by six-party talks with Seoul, Tokyo and Moscow joining the forum.

The Russian foreign ministry said that the standoff had to be resolved through negotiations.—AFP