He also said he was optimistic about the possible resumption of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program, despite recent Pyongyang's nuclear test.
"Now we are back to the negotiating table. The situation has not improved since [six-party talks with North Korea collapsed last year], with the testing of the nuclear device by North Korea," Lavrov said. "But the main fact is that there is an agreement to resume the talks. And I hope they would be successful, eventually."
The North Korea crisis is a key issue at the APEC summit in Hanoi.