MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's envoy on Venezuela says the Norway-brokered talks between the South American country's government and the opposition have raised a glimmer of hope for settling the crisis.

Alexander Shchetinin, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Latin America department, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the Norway talks have produced a "chance, albeit very fragile, for political and diplomatic solution."

Shchetinin represented Russia at a meeting in Stockholm earlier this month aimed to help advance political settlement, which also involved representatives of the United Nations, the Vatican, Cuba and the European Union. He said the main goal of the meeting was to discuss possible assistance to Norwegian mediation efforts.

Shchetinin noted that despite deep distrust between President Nicolas Maduro's government and the opposition, there is a "real chance" of success.