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04Sep17


Russian diplomat warns any misstep in Korean Peninsula area may lead to military outbreak


Any missteps in the Korean Peninsula area may lead to a military outbreak, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on Monday.

"There should be no room for escalation," he said. "Those who are smarter and stronger should show restraint. In the current situation, any misstep may lead to a political or military outbreak, rather than to the nuclear test conducted recently, which actually reflects the deteriorating situation in Northeast Asia," the senior Russian diplomat added.

Ryabkov also said that the use of political and diplomatic means was the only way to resolve the North Korea issue.

"We believe that Pyongyang should stop its provocative actions, which destabilize the situation, but after saying this, I cannot but point out that this protracted crisis can only be resolved through political and diplomatic means," he pointed out.

Besides, in Ryabkov's words, during its contacts with Washington, Moscow continues to emphasize the uselessness of sanctions against Pyongyang. The Russian deputy foreign minister noted that many of those taking part in discussing the North Korea issue were capable of influencing Pyongyang. According to him, it is possible to affect North Korea by making realistic dialogue suggestions, "in this regard, much depends on our US counterparts, who, unfortunately are still more inclined to use the language of sanctions and threats rather than to search for solutions through diplomatic means."

"This is why it is wrong to make everyone believe that some may exert more pressure while others can exert less, as it will damage efforts to find a political solution," the Russian diplomat said. "We speak about it openly, particularly at meetings with our US counterparts," Ryabkov added.

He pointed out that Russia and China had put forward a number of suggestions aimed at resolving the situation on the Korean Peninsula. The BRICS summit's final declaration also includes some serious statements condemning the nuclear test, Ryabkov said. "The declaration also says that building a dialogue between all the interested parties is the only way to move forward," he added.

[Source: Itar Tass, Xiamen, 04Sep17]

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East China Sea Conflict
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