Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the only way for North Korea to exercise its right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and explore space is to fulfill its international obligations.

Russia’s Itar Tass News Agency said Lavrov made the remark in a news conference on Monday as he talked about an upcoming meeting of foreign and trade ministers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation that will open in Vladivostok on Wednesday. He said the meeting will address the Korean Peninsula’s nuclear issue.

Lavrov said North Korea's nuclear issue is one of the most urgent tasks to be handled in East Asia and is an international matter that needs to be addressed in order to stabilize the nuclear nonproliferation regime.

He added that his country hopes the North will engage in talks to address its nuclear issue since Pyongyang places great importance on following the wishes of its former leader, Kim Jong-il.

Lavrov said Kim personally reaffirmed to Russian leaders his unchanging beliefs regarding the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.