Russia regrets DPRK's missile launches

MOSCOW, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- An unnamed source from the Russian Foreign Ministry¹ expressed "regret and bewilderment（困惑）" over the latest reported missile launches by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday.
The source was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying that the reported missile launches were "puzzling."

South Korea's Yonhap news agency（机构） said earlier that Pyongyang has testfired a total of five short-range ground-to-ground missiles off its east coast on Monday.

The test came at a wrong time especially when efforts are being made for the six-party negotiations² to resume（简历）, according to the source cited by the Interfax news agency.

The DPRK's leader Kim Jong Il said recently that his country is willing to attend multilateral talks, including the six-party talks, depending on the outcome of its talks with the United States.

Launched in 2003, the six-party talks on the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula involved China, the DPRK, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan.

The talks have been stalled since the end of last round in Beijing last December. (本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。