Russian FM: North Korea talks chances are low

MOSCOW — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says he believes the chances of dialogue to resolve the tensions over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program are low.

Lavrov was speaking Friday while attending an OSCE ministerial summit in Vienna.

He says “the North Koreans have told us more than once that they need security guarantees, especially in the situation when Washington is trying to withdraw from the agreements on the Iranian nuclear program.”

Lavrov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies “now, of course, it will be more difficult to create conditions for the resumption of the dialogue.”

On Thursday, Lavrov said he told U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that North Korea wants talks with the U.S. and that Russia is willing to help facilitate them.