S.Korean president to visit Russia late September

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun will visit Russia late September for discussions on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and other issues of mutual concern, according to South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday.

"President Roh's visit to Russia will help create an atmospherefavorable to resolving the nuclear issue as Russia can play an important role in the issue," Ban told reporters on Tuesday.

Russia is a member of the six-party talks on the nuclear issue.The other parties are China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, South Korea and Japan.

Three rounds of the talks have been held previously and the parties are negotiating to set the date for another round by the end of September.

"President Roh's visit to Russia will conclude the summit diplomacy with the four major powers surrounding the Korean Peninsula since his inauguration in February last year," Ban said,noting that the president has already visited the United States, China and Japan.

Other issues high on the agenda for Roh's trip to Russia will include South Korea's imports of oil and natural gas from Russia, space technology and connection of the Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR)and Trans-Korean Railway (TKR).

Source: Xinhua