Moscow does not deny Pyongyang right to develop peaceful nuclear programme

Russia believes it is not legal to demand that North Korea should close down all of its nuclear programmes.

Russian Ambassador at Large Alexander Alekseyev, who led the Russian delegation to the six-party talks on the North Korea nuclear crisis which ended in Beijing on Saturday, said this at a news conference in Beijing.

Demands to end North Korea's nuclear activities run counter to international law and the country's sovereign right, according to Mr. Alekseyev. The diplomat believes there is no need to ban peaceful nuclear research, although it must be under control.

The United States advanced a plan of the complete dismantling of all of North Korea's nuclear facilities at the third round of talks in Beijing. North Korea is prepared to discuss freezing its nuclear facilities or even dismantling them on condition the USA end its anti-North Korean policy and compensate its energy losses in whatever form.