Russia called for a comprehensive approach Wednesday to the possible re-entry by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) into the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT), saying the issue should be resolved in a package solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alexeyev told the Itar-Tass news agency the issue of the DPRK re-joining the NPT is likely to be solved with a comprehensive approach, which tackles the issue with other related issues of the nuclear standoff on the Korean Peninsula.

"Primarily, it is necessary to remove concerns of the DPRK and other participants in the talks," Alexeyev said, adding it is Russia and other partners' priority at the upcoming six-party talks.

The DPRK and the United States agreed Saturday to re-open the six-party talks in late July. Three rounds of such talks had been held in Beijing since August 2003, but the talks have been stalled since last June as Pyongyang accused Washington of adopting a hostile policy toward the DPRK.

Alexeyev stressed Russia favors providing a security guarantee to the DPRK, saying it constitutes an important part of the solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and Russia is ready to do so on the multilateral and bilateral basis.

Progress may be made at the upcoming six-party talks toward resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, Alexeyev said.

Source: Xinhua