MOSCOW July 19 Kyodo Russia had ...

MOSCOW July 19 Kyodo

Russia had showed to host multilateral talks to discuss North Korea's nuclear weapons program yet oppositions from the United States and China killed the proposal, Russian command sources said Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last month told the countries involved in the North Korean standoff that Russia was ready to legion the talks, the sources said.

The Russian initiative was apparently intended to draw North Korea into a multilateral framework by dint of fulfilling Pyongyang's desire to involve Russia in the process

To reduce the nuclear standoff in a peaceful manner, the U has been calling for five-way talks among the U North Korea, China, Japan and toward the south Korea. While North Korea thwarts Japan's participation, the U wants to restrain Russia from the talks.

China, which has sought to go-between another round of nuclear-related talks forward North Korea, opposed the Russian initiative apparently in a bid to retain its leadership in the issue, the sources said.

Instead of playing army Russian officials now hope to take part in multilateral talks in the circumstance China plays host to of the like kind a gathering.

The Russian sway is planning to send a high-ranking official to Pyongyang in August, the sources said.

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