It is impossible to hold the fourth round of six-nation talks on nuclear programs in the DPRK within this month "for a whole number of reasons," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alexeyev said on Tuesday, Interfax News Agency reported.  

The six nations are the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Republic of Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United States.

"In this situation, we must work together and make efforts to pull the fourth round off as early as possible," Alexeyev said.

He said there would be various forms of consultations to agree the new date.

While commenting a report that all the countries involved in the negotiation process except the DPRK decided to hold the fourth round of talks in Beijing on Sept. 22, he said Russia "has not specifically confirmed its consent to any date."

The Russian official emphasized that any date that receives the consensus of all six parties will be acceptable to the Russian delegation.

It is also Moscow's position that there must be "movement in both directions" at the talks, he added.

Russia believes the main partners -- the DPRK and the US -- in this round of talks should show patience, common sense, and a desire to find mutually acceptable solutions, Alexeyev said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2004)