Threats could trigger global catastrophe, warns Putin

XIAMEN: Russian President Vladimir Putin said imposing tougher sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear missile programme would be counterproductive and that threats of military action could trigger “a global catastrophe”.

Putin, speaking after a BRICS summit in China yesterday, criticised US diplomacy in the crisis and renewed his call for talks, saying Pyongyang would not halt its mis sile testing programme until it felt secure.

“Russia condemns North Korea’s exercises. We consider that they are a provocation ... (but) ramping up military hysteria will lead to nothing good. It could lead to a global catastrophe,” he told reporters.

“There’s no other path apart from a peaceful one.”

Putin was speaking after South Korea said an agreement with the United States to scrap a weight limit on its warheads would help it respond to the North Korea threat.

Russia, which shares a border with North Korea, has repeatedly joined China in calling for negotiations with Pyongyang, suggesting that the United States and South Korea halt all major war games in exchange for North Korea halting its testing programme.

While describing additional sanc tions as “the road to nowhere”, Putin said Russia was prepared to discuss “some details” around the issue, without elaborating.

The Russian leader also lashed out at the United States, saying it was preposterous for Washington to ask for Moscow’s help with North Korea after sanctioning Russian companies whom US officials accused of violating North Korea sanctions.

“It’s ridiculous to put us on the same (sanctions) list as North Korea and then ask for our help in imposing sanctions on North Korea,” said Putin.

“This is being done by people who mix up Australia with Austria.”

The United States has floated the idea of requiring all countries to cut economic links with North Korea to try to strongarm Pyongyang into changing its behaviour.