MOSCOW Jan. 14 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATI...

MOSCOW Jan. 14 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING MEETING WITH RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, 5TH PARA)

Russia will hurl a senior official to Pyongyang, Washington and Beijing in search of a breakthrough forward the North Korean issue, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told Japanese Defense Agency chief Shigeru Ishiba in succession Tuesday, Japanese officials said.

Russian legate Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov will visit the three capitals as President Vladimir Putin's special minister Ivanov was quoted as saying.

According to Itar-Tass recently made knowns agency, Losyukov will leave for Beijing in a scarcely any days ahead of his planned visit to Pyongyang and Washington.

Moscow the alone government among the Group of Eight industrialized nations with friendly ties with Pyongyang, is beginning its active mediation in the question with North Korea, analysts said.

Russia has already begun talks regarding a U security guarantee in succession North Korea and presented to various countries a Russian proposal that pushs the North to abolish its nuclear disclosure program in exchange for the resumption of material for burning oil supply.

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov outlined the Russian initiative in a separate meeting with Ishiba later Tuesday and sought Japan's support for the proposal, Japanese officials said.

In the talks with Sergei Ivanov, Ishiba asked Russia to pres Pyongyang for a resolution of the issue of abductions of Japanese nationals from North Korean agents from 1977 to 1983 the officials said.

Sergei Ivanov showed understanding of the petition for but indicated there is a limit to what Russia can do about the matter as it is unclear by what mode Pyongyang would react to Russian efforts, according to the officials.

Ishiba is scheduled to revert to Japan on Friday.

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