Chronicle (Zimbabwe)

Putin urges North Korea talks, says sanctions

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SEOUL — While condemning North Korea over its latest nuclear test, the leaders of Russia and South Korea seemed far apart on the issue of stepping up sanctions against the country.

Speaking after the meeting on Wednesday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the Russian port city of Vladivosto­k, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for talks with North Korea, saying sanctions were not a solution to the country’s nuclear and missile developmen­t.

Moon had urged Moscow to support stronger sanctions against North Korea, which conducted its sixth nuclear test on Sunday September 3, in what it claimed was a detonation of a thermonucl­ear weapon built for missiles capable of reaching the US mainland.

“We should not give in to emotions and push Pyongyang into a corner,” Putin said in a news conference after the meeting, held on the side-lines of a conference on economic developmen­t of Russia’s Far East.

“As never before everyone should show restraint and refrain from steps leading to escalation and tensions.”

Moon said the leaders agreed that reducing regional tension and “quickly solving” the security challenges posed by North Korea’s nuclear and missile programme were critical.

Ahead of his meeting with Putin, Moon said the situation could get out of hand if North Korea’s missile and nuclear tests weren’t stopped.

Moon urged Russia to back stronger sanctions including the cutting off oil supplies, but Putin expressed concern that such moves would hurt regular North Koreans, said Yoon Young-chan, Moon’s chief press secretary.

“Myself and President Putin share a view that North Korea has gone the wrong way with its nuclear and missile programme and that easing tension on the Korean Peninsula is an urgent issue,” Moon said during the news conference.

He compliment­ed Putin and the Russian government over what he said were a variety of efforts to find diplomatic solutions to the North Korean problem.

In a telephone conversati­on with Putin on Monday before his trip to Russia, Moon also called for a ban on overseas North Korean workers, who are seen as a key foreign currency source for the North.

 ??  ?? Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin

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