"The Korean issue is one of the most difficult and complicated problems of the region," Bagabandi, now on his six-day visit to Japan, told a news conference in Tokyo.

"Our stance is that the Korean peninsula problem should be solved peacefully through dialogue by multiple participation," the Mongolian president said.

"Since Mongolia has favorable relations with both South Korea and North Korea, we think we must play an active role in solving the peace and security issue of the region," he said.

Mongolia, a traditional ally of North Korea, sent its Premier Nambaryn Enkhbayar to both South Korea and North Korea last month to discuss the nuclear crisis. The country has expanded ties with South Korea since the normalisation of diplomatic relations with Seoul in 1990.

Preparations are under way for a new round of six-way talks to discuss Pyongyang's nuclear arms programme. The participants in the multilateral talks are China, Japan, North Korea, Russia, South Korea and the United States.

Asked if he backed Japan's demand for the return of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korean agents in the Cold War years, Bagabandi said he would provide "full support for the Japanese stance."

Five surviving victims were allowed to return home in October 2002, but there are growing calls in Japan for their families left behind to be allowed to leave.

Bagabandi also said he did not have any immediate plans to withdraw his country's troops from Iraq despite the recent attacks on soldiers and officials aimed at intimidating the United States' allies there.

Mongolia has sent more than 100 troops to Iraq, while Japan is set to announce details of its planned dispatch of its Self-Defence Forces to the country as early as next week.

WAR.WIRE