Chinese, Russian foreign ministers discuss DPRK's nuclear test, Syria issue over phone
Xinhua, September 12, 2016 Adjust font size:
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Monday exchanged views over phone on the recent nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and a new U.S.-Russia deal on cease-fire in Syria.
In the phone conversation, Wang said that China strongly urges the DPRK and the related parties to keep calm and exercise restraint and refrain from taking any new action again that would escalate the tension.
China strongly urges the DPRK and the related parties to earnestly abide by and implement the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, make efforts to resume and restart the dialogue process, and effectively control the current situation on the peninsula.
The DPRK's state-run television reported early Friday that the country had conducted a nuclear warhead explosion test. It was Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test.
On the Syria issue, Wang said that China welcomes the fresh U.S.-Russian agreement on a nationwide cease-fire in Syria, and hopes the agreement will be implemented and pave the way for a political solution to the Syria issue.
The Chinese foreign minister said that China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Russia over major international and regional issues.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Lavrov announced in Geneva on Saturday a landmark agreement on a nationwide cease-fire in Syria, which they hope would lead to their countries' military cooperation to end more than five years of bloodshed there.
In the phone conversation, Lavrov said that Russia agrees with China's stance on the Korean peninsula and Russia is willing to keep close contact and coordination with China to jointly cope with any new situation change and maintain peace and stability on the peninsula. Endi