Russia is to send Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to North Korea to persuade the renegade country to return to talks on its nuclear program. Russian government officials on Thursday said Lavrov will fly to Pyongyang around April 24 for a two-day stay and will tell his North Korean counterpart Pak Ui-chun of the Russian government's position that it is essential for the North to return to the six-party talks.

Lavrov will probably meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, to whom he will deliver a letter from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stressing the importance of finding a solution to the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue.

Lavrov is expected to ask the North to exercise restraint, while warning that its expulsion of an IAEA inspection team and moves to reopen nuclear facilities are not helpful.

He will also likely explain to the North that it is essential for it to return to the six-party talks in the near future and it is not desirable for the UN Security Council to reinforce sanctions. His visit will be the first by a Russian foreign minister since July 2004.

Russia does not want to see new sanctions against North Korea. News agency Interfax quoted Russian Vice Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin, the chief delegate to the six-party talks, as saying on Wednesday what is more important than anything is to resume the six-party talks.