A Russian envoy held six hours of talks yesterday with reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and said he was optimistic the nuclear standoff between Pyongyang and Washington could be solved peacefully.

SOUTH Korea yesterday said it was prepared for a worst-case scenario that included war if diplomacy failed to resolve the crisis over the North’s suspected nuclear weapons ambitions.

CHINA yesterday offered to host talks between the United States and North Korea over their nuclear standoff and Russia said it planned to send a top official to key capitals to help find a diplomatic solution.

SOUTH KOREA said yesterday Russia had a key role to play in cooling a nuclear row between North Korea and the United States, and Moscow pledged to use its influence with Pyongyang to defuse the stand-off.