Moscow hopes N. Korea nuke test won’t be pretext for regional militarization

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Published time: February 12, 2013 13:09
Edited time: February 12, 2013 17:27

This handout picture taken by Japan's Defence Ministry on February 12, 2013 shows an Air Seld Defense Force's trainer aircraft taking off from the Misawa air base in Aomori prefecture, northern Japan on February 12, 2013 to take samples of air to detect radiation in the wake of North Korea's nuclear test. (AFP Photo)

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Arms, Lavrov, Military, North Korea, Nuclear, Politics, Protest, Robert Bridge, Russia

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Pyongyang’s brazen nuclear test deserves a strong reaction from the UN Security Council.

The nuclear test conducted by North Korea on Tuesday “demonstrates that the North Korean leadership has again ignored international law and disregarded the UN Security Council's resolutions, all of which deserves condemnation and an appropriate reaction,” Lavrov said at a press conference in South Africa.

The UN Security Council is expected to convene “within hours” to discuss the matter, the minister said.

Lavrov conveyed the message that Moscow is disappointed that Pyongyang chose to discard Russia's concerns over the nuclear tests despite “good neighborly relations” between the two countries.

At the same time, however, Lavrov, warned against any "military muscle-building" policy in the Korean Peninsula.

Instead, Pyongyang must give up its nuclear-weapons program and re-join the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

"International law is the counterbalance to the military scenario," Lavrov emphasized. "We have been proposing that a system of measures be developed in Northeast Asia to ensure security for all countries of the region on the basis of the current multilateral obligations.”

The Russian diplomat said the ultimate goal should be to turn the Korean Peninsula into a “nuclear free zone.”

In order to achieve these ends, Russia will continue to work jointly with all participants in the six-nation process, which involves Russia, China, Japan, the United States and North and South Korea.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow is urging North Korea to heed the demands of the UN Security Council and cease all illegal nuclear testing.

"We insist that the DPRK…strictly comply with every directive of the UN Security Council, abandon its missile and nuclear programs and return to the NPT and IAEA guarantee regime," read the ministry statement.

By cooperating with the international security organization, “North Korea may break free from its international isolation and gain access to international cooperation in various areas, among them the peaceful application of atomic energy and space,” it said.

"We are confident that this path meets the interests of North Korea," the ministry emphasized.

Robert Bridge, RT

Comments (21)

gibau 16.02.2013 03:35

North Korea: The example to fallow. Yes: indeed If every nation stepped up and decide to show some pride, honor and independence, the fascist imperi alists would not dare being so adventurist and disrespectful of o ther nations. Do I hear anyone threatening a preemptive strike on North Korea?

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Yet (unregistered) 13.02.2013 14:58

everybody with political understanding knows that the terroristic US-government will attack and invade North-Korea sooner or later. but since their is no oil which can be robbed it will be later. its approriate that N.Korea protect itself from US-aggression in any way possible.
any discrepancies between N.Korea and S.Korea are only between the governments and not the people. and S.Korea government initiates the aggression against N.Korea only cuz they getting pushed to do it by US-government.
it s sure that N.Korea wouldnt use nuclear weapons against S.Korea or Japan. its just a defensive against US-aggression.

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Amjad (unregistered) 13.02.2013 07:32

lavrov isn't worry of america armed taliban and kicked russia out of afghanistan which haunts russian govt, isn't worry america bombed nuclear on neghbour japan, isnt worry america intentionally pused wars to doors of russia missile shield on russian borders america had spread nuclear arms in europe around russia lavrov isn't worry at all accepted cult jewish nukes against NPTC what does that mean pushing north for NPTC lavrov isn't worried of america sanctioning russian leaders puting them black listed, isn't worried of its allys bieng destabilised. how do russia expects others to worry about its security north is doing exactly what needs to keep the threats away from its borders nobody came forward for north when it was left alone in peoblems lavrov shouldn't be worry of noth doing something by its own

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