Russia welcomes the results of the fourth round of the six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue, saying the joint document gives hope for the ultimate goal of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.

The talks on the Korean nuclear issue, which involved China, North Korea, the United States, South Korea, Russia and Japan, concluded on Monday in Beijing after adopting a common statement that established a framework for a package solution to the issue.

The results of the talks give hope for a successful continuation of the six-party negotiation process toward fulfilling the ultimate goal of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The most important part of this document is Pyongyang's commitment to abandon nuclear weapons, all existing nuclear programs and return, at an early date, to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency," the ministry said.

In the document, North Korea says it has the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Other parties have expressed their respect and agreed to discuss, at an appropriate time, the provision of light-water reactors to North Korea.

The six parties agreed to hold the fifth round of talks in Beijing in early November.

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2005)