President Roh Moo-hyun's official visit to Russia is expected to take place around September or October at the latest.

Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon met Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, in Moscow Monday to arrange the president's upcoming trip to Russia. After the talks, Ban told reporters that the two sides had agreed that an early visit to Russia by Roh would greatly contribute to the development of bilateral relations.

Ban said the two sides would announce the date for Roh's visit soon, suggesting that his trip could come much earlier - possibly in July - depending on the situation.

Ban and Lavrov also expressed their countries' commitment to seeking a peaceful resolution to North Korea's nuclear standoff by actively taking part in the six-way talks.

The two ministers additionally expressed hope for progress in the next round of six-party nuclear talks, saying that the recent summit between Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il would act as a positive factor in the nuclear discussions.