Seoul/Tokyo, April 24, SPA --North Korea reaffirmed its decision to breakoff negotiations on its nuclear weapons programme during a visit toPyongyang by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, dpa quoted the North Korean news agency KCNA reported today. The statement came as US President Barack Obama and JapanesePremier Taro Aso agreed to push for an early resumption of the so-called six-party talks. The Russian delegation noted North Korea's stance that "there isno need to hold the six-party talks any longer," it reported, quotinga Foreign Ministry spokesman in Pyongyang. Lavrov said on Thursday he was sceptical about an early resumptionof the six-party talks involving the two Koreas, China, the US,Japan and Russia. He added that an early breakthrough could not be expected, theRussian news agency RIA Novosti reported. North Korea withdrew from the nuclear talks in reaction tocriticism from the UN Security Council to the country's controversialrocket launch on April 5. It also threatened expand its nuclear deterrent and to restart theoperation of nuclear installations capable of producing weapons-gradematerials. Lavrov was the first high-ranking representative of a foreigngovernment to visit North Korea since the rocket test. Meanwhile, despite North Korea's decision to end the negotiations,Japan and the US have agreed to seek an early resumption ofinternational talks on ending North Korea's nuclear weaponsprogrammes, Japan's top government spokesman said Friday. Japanese Premier Taro Aso and US President Barack Obama in a 15-minute telephone conversation Friday agreed to strengthen bilateralcooperation in dealing with North Korea's missile issues as well asnon-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Obama and Aso also agreed on the importance of a united voice inthe wake of North Korea's rocket launch. On nuclear disarmament, Aso told Obama that he supports acomprehensive review of Washington's nuclear policy based on an Obamaspeech delivered in Prague earlier this month, which called for aworld without nuclear weapons.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/657695