Talks are the sole realistic way to solve the complicated issue on the Korean Peninsular, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losiukov in Beijing Wednesday morning.

According to the website of the Russian Embassy in Beijing, Losiukov, head of the Russian delegation, made the comment while addressing the Beijing six-party talks, which began Wednesday morning.

The talks should be the beginning of major substantial bilateral and multilateral talks, noted Losiukov.

He believes that the talks will be fruitful as long as all parties participating have goodwill and a constructive attitude.

"We think that our task in Beijing is to create and enhance mutual trust and an understanding atmosphere on between the North and South Korean Peninsular, which guarantees the security, stability as well as normal political and economic development in Northeast Asia and this fully conforms to Russia's interests," he said.

Losiukov also expressed his "special thanks" to China for its efforts to organize the talks.

The talks, involving China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan, are scheduled to last three days. The Russian delegation, which arrived in Beijing Monday, had consultations with the delegations from ROK, the United States and Japan Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2003)