Russia calls for North Korea nuclear talks
“Step-by-step activities” are crucial to diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula, ambassador to Seoul insists.
Russia’s envoy to South Korea has announced that Moscow is prepared to resume talks with the neighboring North on the subject of nuclear weapons, saying that resolving problems in the region will require careful, slow diplomacy.
“Russia is actively engaged in the search for solutions to the Korean Peninsula’s issues, including the nuclear one,” Kulik told TASS in an interview published Thursday. “We believe that there is no alternative to a comprehensive and gradual approach to resolving the situation in the region, which should be done solely through political and diplomatic means.”
“We are convinced that step-by-step activities based on the principles of equality and a gradual and synchronized approach will make it possible to ensure the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and lay the foundation for a solid system of peace and security here,” he went on.
The envoy also noted that “recent bilateral contacts show that Russia is ready to make a real contribution to unblocking the negotiation process, easing military and political tensions and building dialogue and cooperation between all the involved parties.”
Russia and China had worked together to formulate a plan for the Korean Peninsula, Kulik said, including suggestions for improving North Korea’s relations with South Korea, the US, and Japan. “Moscow and Seoul share common or similar fundamental approaches to resolving the Korean Peninsula issue,” he went on, emphasizing that they are trying to create an atmosphere of trust on all sides.
“Russia is determined to closely interact with all the interested parties in order to end a prolonged pause in the political process on the Korean Peninsula and prevent the security situation from unfolding in a negative way,” the ambassador concluded.
Earlier this month, South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced that his country, along with its northern neighbor, China, and the US, had agreed in principle to declare a formal end to the Korean War. The conflict took place from 1950-1953, but ended in an armistice and has been technically ongoing ever since.
The South Korean leader reported that all sides were ready to formally end the war, but that discussions could not proceed because Pyongyang is accusing the US of adopting a “hostile policy” toward it, including with economic sanctions. Washington says that the sanctions cannot end until North Korea abandons its nuclear program.
