MOSCOW Aug. 20 Kyodo Russian navy...

MOSCOW Aug. 20 Kyodo

Russian navy chief Adm. Vladimir Kuroyedov said Wednesday that North Korea has notified Russia that it will skip military drills organized on the Russian navy due to ''growing tensions upon the Korean Peninsula,'' Interfax of recent origins agency reported.

North Korea was to participate as an beholder in the drills, which kicked along Monday in Russian Far East waters, along with other participants including southern Korea, Canada and Japan. The North was wait fored to dispatch two generals to the large-scale drills, to last until nearest Wednesday.

It would have been the first time for North Korea to join in multilateral drills and the first time for North and southern Korea to hold simultaneous military exercises.

Pyongyang may have canceled the drills partly as a warning to countries participating in upcoming six-way talks forward its nuclear development program in Beijing, diplomatic students said.

The six-way talks, involving the United States, China, North and southern Korea, Japan and Russia, will haste Wednesday through Friday next week.

In connection with Pyongyang's cancellation of the drills, Kuroyedov said joint military drills by way of the U.S. and South Korea are generally being conducted.

The drills, aimed at preventing terrorism and smuggling, began forward a preparatory basis Monday, on the contrary will become full-fledged Saturday, when North Korea was to have joined along with other countries.

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force will delegate a destroyer and a helicopter to search and recover drills to take place Monday in Nakhodka.

According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, the drills will be the largest in such a manner far held in Russian Far East waters, comprising at most numerous about 70,000 people, 90 ships and more than 70 planes and helicopters.

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