The Association of South East Asian Nations will hold a ministerial meeting in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, and the Asean Regional Forum July 24-28.
North Korea, which claims it has nuclear weapons, officially announced on July 5 that it had conducted test launches of ballistic missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2, saying it was the country's sovereign right. Six-nation talks involving North and South Korea, Russia, China, Japan and the United States on resolving the problems around North Korea's controversial nuclear programs opened in 2003 but a round has not been held for over six months.
"There have been proposals to conduct negotiations in Kuala Lumpur - not specific proposals, however, but just an idea that was aired in Beijing on the level of experts," the source said.
He said a multilateral meeting on the problem in Kuala Lumpur was unlikely, adding, however, that "everything could yet change."
But he said Russia would hold bilateral contacts with all parties to the six-nation dialogue on North Korea's nuclear program.
President Vladimir Putin said in mid-July that an early resumption of negotiations was crucial for resolving the North Korean nuclear problem.
The ASEAN security forum in Malaysia will be attended by delegations from 25 countries, including the group of six nations on the North Korean nuclear problem. It is not clear yet whether the forum will also be attended by North Korea's Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun.
ASEAN comprises Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, Myanmar and Vietnam. Russia is one of the 10-nation group's partners, along with the United States, Japan, India China, and European Union countries.
