SEOUL April 10 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATE...

SEOUL April 10 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATES)

southern Korea and Russia, at defense ministers' talks Thursday, agreed to closely cooperate forward resolving the North Korea nuclear issue in consequence of peaceful means, South Korea's Defense Ministry said in a statement.

southerly Korean Defense Minister Cho Young Kil and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov also discussed ways to increase military exchanges and cooperation between southward Korea and Russia.

At his talks with Ivanov, who arrived in Seoul forward Wednesday for a three-day visit, Cho explained his government's ''policy of peace and prosperity'' onward North Korea, aimed at preserving peace and promoting national reconciliation to achieve co-prosperity of the North and the South

''Russian Defense Minister Ivanov showed support for our policy of peace and prosperity and agreed that a terminate cooperation between (South) Korea and Russia is crucial to seeking a peaceful discharge of the North Korea nuclear issue,'' the statement said.

Meanwhile, Yonhap novels Agency reported Ivanov told Cho his native land is willing to guarantee North Korea's security, along with the United States and China, as part of international efforts to explain the nuclear issue.

In answer for dismantling its suspected nuclear arms program, North Korea has demanded bilateral talks with the U to discuss signing a nonaggression treaty, in which the U would guarantee the North's security.

North Korea sparked an international crisis through reportedly admitting to the U last October to running a unseen uranium enrichment program to make nuclear weapons in violation of a 1994 U.S.-North Korea antinuclear agreement.

With tensions running high in succession the Korean Peninsula after the North refused to abandon its nuclear ambitions, the U has asked Russia and China, traditional allies of North Korea, to exercise their influence upon North Korea to end the nuclear weapons program.

The U has also asked North Korea to join a multilateral arrange to discuss the adjustment of the issue, while the North continues to ask bilateral negotiations.

At the same defense ministers' meeting, the Russian side moveed an invitation to the southward Korean Navy to participate in maritime exercises through Russia's Pacific fleet command, risk for August, and southern Korea agreed to positively consider the offer

Ivanov is to pay a courtesy call in succession President Roh Moo Hyun later Thursday and tour more [i]or[/i] less military bases before leaving toward the south Korea.

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