Russia says it hopes North Korea will once again comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency and return to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Moscow's chief delegate to the six-way nuclear talks, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin, made the remark in a domestic media interview.

Borodavkin said the first step in verifying North Korea's nuclear disablement would be the North returning to the IAEA and the NPT.

He also stressed the verification must be conducted according to IAEA standards with agency expert oversight.