"We have real chances to resume the six-nation talks," he said.
"We are waiting for the date of the next round to be announced. But we should take all effort to achieve this," the Russian minister added.
According to Mr. Lavrov, all the participants in the six-nation talks except North Korea are working hard to hold the next round.
"Chinese representatives have contacted the North Korean leadership and we are doing the same," the minister noted.
In his words, this issue was discussed at the summit in Bratislava.
"It seems that George Bush is interested in this [the resumption of the talks]," Sergei Lavrov stressed. "We should take further efforts on political settlement. It is very important that the sides do not threaten North Korea with any sanctions. This would be counter-productive," the Russian Foreign Minister said.
In his opinion, it is necessary to take into account not only the preservation of the nuclear-free status of the Korean peninsula but also Pyongyang's legal interests, in the economic (electric energy supplies) and security spheres.
"The sides also share common approaches to the agreements which will be used to resume the talks," Sergei Lavrov said.
