North Korea is reportedly preparing for a new round of six-way nuclear talks in mid-July.

Russian news agency Interfax quoted a North Korean diplomatic source as saying Tuesday that the North's foreign affairs ministry has begun preparing for a fourth round of negotiations to convene by the middle of next month in line with directives from the Pyongyang leadership.

In a recent meeting with Unification Minister Chung Dong-young in Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il said that the North would be amenable to returning to the six-party talks by as early as next month if Washington would show respect to the Stalinist regime.