MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/. Russia and North Korea plan to hold diplomatic contacts to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with TV channel NTV.

"We will hope [for a positive outcome.] You know that [Russia] plans to have contacts between Russian and North Korean representatives, and they are expected at a diplomatic level," he said. "We will hope for the better: that we will be able to keep this impulse [in the settlement,]" Peskov added.

The Kremlin spokesman reiterated that "Moscow has a consistent, well known position" on the Korean settlement. "We want the countries to avoid any steps that could lead to further escalation of tensions on the peninsula," Peskov said.

"And, moreover, we are against damaging the fragile settlement process that just emerged," he added. "Of course, we wouldn’t want it to be damaged," Peskov said.