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

MOSCOW Jan. 14 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING INFO IN 3RD PARA)

Russia will easily send a senior official to Pyongyang, Washington and Beijing in search of a breakthrough onward the North Korean issue, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told visiting Japanese Defense Agency chief Shigeru Ishiba upon Tuesday, Japanese government officials said.

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

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

Moscow which is the merely government among the Group of Eight (G-8) major industrialized nations that has a friendly relationship with Pyongyang, is beginning its active mediation in the vexed question with North Korea, analysts said.

Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il have held summit talks for three years in a row

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

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

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

Ishiba arrived in Moscow in succession Monday for talks with his counterpart and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. He is scheduled to reply to Japan on Friday.

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