From news reports

Russia"s ambassador to South Korea, Gleb Ivashentsov, on Tuesday urged the United States to present proof about its allegations that North Korea has been counterfeiting U.S. currency.

The call came hours before a rare U.S. North Korean meeting in New York to explain U.S. sanctions on the communist country"s alleged money laundering and counterfeiting activities.

"The side that raises the suspicions should present evidence," Ivashentsov told a group of senior journalists here. "So, the U.S. should find evidence to convict (North Korea of counterfeiting)."

North Korea has denied the charges and responded to the sanctions by boycotting six party talks aimed at ending its nuclear weapons program.

Ivashentsov said Russia, a participant in those talks, "has not received any concrete evidence" to support the U.S. claims against North Korea.

U.S. officials have claimed that the Russian capital Moscow was one venue for North Koreans" trading of fake U.S. dollars. Russia, along with China, remains the closest ally of North Korea.

Russia"s position is that sanctions on North Korea will bear no fruit, the ambassador said, pointing out that "there will be effects through only dialogue and cooperation."

He said foreign countries should not interfere in North Korea"s internal affairs, saying a forceful push for its reform and market opening will backfire.

Last September, the U.S. Treasury blacklisted a Macau based bank, accusing it of circulating fake $100 bills, known as "supernotes," printed in North Korea.

The restrictions led to an exodus of deposits from the Banco Delta Asia, one of North Korea"s main foreign exchange transaction channels abroad, further stifling the cash strapped communist state.

Denying the counterfeiting charges, North Korea has boycotted the six way talks on its nuclear program. Russia is also a participant in the Beijing based discussions along with South Korea, China and Japan.

The United States has made clear that the bilateral meeting with North Korea slated for Tuesday in New York will be a technical level briefing to explain why it imposed the sanctions and not negotiations on the nuclear issue.

As for South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki moon"s bid for the post of U.N. secretary general, the Russian envoy said, "Russia"s firm position is to support an Asian candidate."

Asia needs to field a single candidate and Ban should draw support from Asian countries, he added.

South Korea"s top diplomat declared his bid last month to succeed Kofi Annan as the U.N. chief at the end of this year.

There is a growing consensus that it is Asia"s turn to take over the post, but U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton has reportedly balked at the customary rule on rotation.

The Russian ambassador said that his country is considering whether to grant Russian nationality to ethnic Koreans who immigrated to Russia from Central Asia.

According to official data, more than 500,000 ethnic Koreans reside in the nations of the former Soviet Union after being forcibly relocated, and many of them are suffering economic hardships.

An increasing number of ethnic Koreans there are sneaking into Russia in search of jobs and shelter. As many as 30,000 Koreans are reportedly staying illegally in Russia alone.

"The problem is to give them Russian nationality. Russia is considering the issue," he said. "But the most important problem is that they already have nationality of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, or other nations."

The South Korean government plans to conduct an on site survey of ethnic Koreans there next week as part of efforts to map out measures to help them.

From news reports