Daily Record

Either help us to relieve suffering in Syria..or keep backing Assad

US WARN PUTIN AS KOREA THREATEN NUKES Nuclear war warning by the North Tillerson ultimatum before visit to Moscow

- JU-MIN PARK JOSH LEDERMAN reporters@dailyrecor­d.co.uk

NORTH Korea’s state-run media yesterday warned of a nuclear attack on the US if there is any sign of an American pre-emptive strike.

It comes as a US navy strike group, led by a nuclear-powered aircraft, steamed towards the western Pacific.

Tensions have escalated recently with talk of military action by the United States amid concerns North Korea may conduct a sixth nuclear test.

The nation’s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said: “Our nuclear sight is focused on the US invasionar­y bases … and also in the US mainland.” RUSSIA has been given an ultimatum by the US – to side with them or admit that Syrian president Bashar Assad, Iran and militant group Hezbollah are their allies.

The demand came from American secretary of state Rex Tillerson as he arrived in Moscow following meetings in Italy with top diplomats.

But Vladimir Putin refused to back down, saying Russia knew about planned “provocatio­ns” to blame Syria’s government for using chemical weapons.

He said the UN should first investigat­e the attack before any further action is taken. The Russian president said: “It reminds me of 2003 when US envoys to the security council were demonstrat­ing what they said were chemical weapons found in Iraq.”

Tillerson is in Moscow to meet Russian officials about the Syrian civil war.

It is the first official trip to Russia by a member of president Donald Trump’s cabinet. Before heading to Russia, Tillerson told reporters Moscow had either failed to take seriously its obligation to rid Syria of chemical weapons or had been incompeten­t but the distinctio­n “doesn’t much matter to the dead”.

He added: “We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people. Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role.”

Tillerson said the alternativ­e was that “Russia can maintain its alliance” with Syria and Iran.

Russia’s foreign ministry said the outcome of the discussion­s is important not only for the US-Russian relationsh­ip but “for the overall atmosphere on the world stage”.

Tillerson, a former oil magnate, was speaking after a meeting of the “like-minded” G7 industrial­ised economies in Tuscany and plans to meet Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow.

We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrians. Russia can be a part of that future REX TILLERSON

 ??  ?? DEFIANT Vladimir Putin
DEFIANT Vladimir Putin

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