Putin urges talks with Pyongyang, saying sanctions are not working
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia – President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow does not recognize the nuclear status of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, as its missile program threatens the security in Northeast Asia.
During the news conference following a meeting with his Republic of Korea’s counterpart, Moon Jae-in, on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum, Putin reiterated Moscow’s stance of opposing the DPRK’s missile program, saying it extensively violates UN Security Council resolutions, undermines the global nonproliferation mechanism and threatens regional stability.
Putin also said hostility will not help solve the Korean Peninsula issue.
“Clearly, it is impossible to solve the Korean Peninsula issue by sanctions and pressure … We should not give in to emotions and push Pyongyang into a corner,” he said.
“As never before everyone should show restraint and refrain from steps leading to escalation and tensions.”
He said Moscow and Beijing have come up with proposals on solving the issue under the framework of a joint “road map”. Therefore, Russia called upon all parties to take a closer look at the initiative which “offers a real way of reducing tensions and step-by-step settlement”.
Moon also condemned the DPRK’s missile tests, warning of bigger threat in the future. He also said he and Putin had agreed on the urgency of easing tensions on the peninsula.
“Mr Putin and I agreed that nuclear and missile tests are the wrong way, and that the urgent task is to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula,” he said.
On Sunday, the DPRK successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb capable of being carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile, which was the sixth nuclear test by the country so far, further worsening the hair-trigger confrontation on the peninsula.
THAAD deployment
Meanwhile, the remaining mobile launchers of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system will be deployed to a military site in the ROK on Thursday, Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday.
Two THAAD batteries have already been installed.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China is seriously concerned, adding the deployment could only severely undermine regional security and raise tensions and antagonism.
“We demand that the US and the ROK respect the security interests and concerns of China and other regional countries, with an immediate stop to the deployment and removal of the equipment,” he said.
On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on a phone conversation that Russia resolutely opposes the escalation of military tension in Northeast Asia.
According to a ministry statement, Lavrov said any choice should be made in favor of political and diplomatic means to find peaceful solutions.
While the United States and its allies are preparing a draft resolution on Pyongyang for the United Nations Security Council to vote on, Lavrov said Russia is ready to consider the document if it reflects his country’s position.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated on Tuesday that the solution to the DPRK nuclear issue must be “political”, stressing that “the potential consequences of military action are too horrific”.
