N Korea asked to resume talks
2009-05-27 21:22
Moscow - Russia on Wednesday summoned North Korea's ambassador and called for a return to six-party nuclear disarmament talks, the Russian foreign ministry said.
The Russian side "called for a renewal of six-party talks on the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula with the goal of finding a political-diplomatic solution to the region's security problems", the ministry said in a statement.
The six-party talks process - involving China, the two Koreas, Japan, Russia and the United States - came to a halt last month after North Korea pulled out following criticism of its launch of a rocket.
At Wednesday's meeting with Ambassador Kim Yong Jae, the Russian side "again conveyed its serious concern" at North Korea's underground nuclear test on Monday, its launch of short-range missiles and promises to restart its nuclear programme.
"The tension arising in north-east Asia from these actions is not in the interests of a single state in the region and it is necessary to take immediate steps to defuse it," the Russian statement said.
Earlier Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged a strong United Nations resolution to condemn North Korea's nuclear test.
He insisted however that the stand-off with the reclusive state could only be solved through multi-party talks, saying that North Korea should not be punished "for the sake of punishment" alone.
- SAPA
