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Sanctions against DPRK should not intensify tensions on Korean Peninsula: Russian FM

Xinhua, March 11, 2016 Adjust font size:

The sanctions newly approved by the United Nations Security Council against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should not be used to intensify tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.

"Both Russia and China defend the adoption of the sanction measures, which, on the one hand, would block further development of DPRK's nuclear programs, and, on the other, should not lead to a rise of tension in the region and not hinder the possibility of political and diplomatic settlement," Lavrov said at a press conference here following talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

Criticizing Washington's intention to deploy the sophisticated Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system in South Korea to "deter the DPRK's missile threats," he said the sanctions should not be used as a pretext for "a dangerous and destabilizing stockpiling of armaments in the region, including plans to create a system of missile defense there."

The U.N. Security Council approved unanimously a new package of sanctions against the DPRK last Wednesday, which included a ban on all exports of coal, iron, gold, titanium and rare earth from the country, in a bid to curb its nuclear and missile programs.

Also prohibited are the supplies of all types of aviation fuel, including rocket fuel, to the DPRK, and cargos going in and out of the country are required to be inspected.

Meanwhile, Lavrov noted that despite the sanctions which have sent a very tough signal to Pyongyang, they do not give anyone a "carte blanche" to isolate or strangle the DPRK, saying that Russia is against any unilateral sanctions imposed on top of the U.N. Security Council resolution.

"I hope unilateral sanctions adopted on top of the sanctions of the U.N. Security Council by the United States and their allies in the region will not be used to isolate the DPRK completely and lead to a failure of the restart of the six-party talks," Lavrov said.

He said Russia hopes that Pyongyang will make appropriate conclusions, listen to the demands of the U.N. Security Council and finally come back to the negotiating table.

"The door is open for restarting the negotiations," he added. Endi