MOSCOW, August 29 (RIA Novosti) - Russia welcomes North Korea's decision to continue the six-party nuclear program talks in mid-September, a diplomatic source in Moscow said Monday.

The North Korean Foreign Ministry announced Monday through the nation's news agency that Pyongyang was ready to continue the fourth round of the negotiations on its nuclear program in the week starting September 12.

The negotiations, which were launched in 2003, involve Russia, North Korea, South Korea, the United States, Japan and China.