Russia supports the proposal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to freeze its nuclear program and steps for its implementation required further consultation in the upcoming six-party talks, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losiukov said in Beijing Monday.  

Losiukov commented the freeze proposal "a phase" for resolving the nuclear issue upon arrival in Beijing.

Russian delegation is the first foreign delegation to arrive here for the second round of talks on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, which involves China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan and is scheduled to open on Wednesday.

The arrival of the Russian Delegation marks the countdown of the second round of talks.

It is learned that the US and Japanese delegations will arrive this afternoon.

After expressing "cautious optimism" on the talks to the press, Losiukov and the Russian delegation he led left for the Chinese Foreign Ministry for further consultation with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi, head of the Chinese delegation.

At the airport, Losiukov admitted there were "a number of uncertainties" around the talks. All sides will fully state their stance in the first day of the talks and Russia hopes to score progress in this round of talks.

He said that the stand of Russia is "very close" with the stand held by China, so today's consultation can "create conditions" for the future talks, adding that the two countries had already had effective cooperation after the first round of talks.

Russia will consult with other four parties, the DPRK, US, ROK and Japan Tuesday, Losiukov said.

All sides have accelerated their paces to coordinate stance for the talks during the past days.

The United States, ROK and Japan have gathered in Seoul Sunday for policy coordination.

Ahead of the second round of six-party talks, the three countries "again exchange views and sufficiently prepare ... so that the talks will be fruitful," according to ROK Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Lee Soo-hyuck, the ROK delegation head.

It is reported that the three will hold another session Monday morning before leaving for Beijing.

China's Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi last Friday met with Joseph R. DeTrani, a US State Department special envoy for Korean affairs, urging the parties concerned to grasp the opportunity to peacefully resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and translate it into reality.

Previously, the six countries have announced the heads of the delegations. Besides Wang Yi, Russia's Losiukov and ROK's Lee, the other three are Kim Kye-gwan, deputy foreign minister of the DPRK, Mitoji Yabunaka, director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, and James Kelly, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs of the United States.

The first round of talks was held on August 27-29, 2003, in Beijing.

(Xinhua News Agency February 23, 2004)