Russia Expresses Deep Concern over DPRK's Withdrawal from NPT

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, January 10, 2003

Russia Expresses Deep Concern over DPRK's Withdrawal from NPT

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The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed on Friday "deep concern" over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) decision to withdraw from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), saying such a move would harm global and regional security.

"There is no doubt that such a step can only aggravate the already tense atmosphere around the Korean Peninsula, and strike a significant blow to the universal international legal mechanism for the provision of global and regional security," the ministry said in a statement.

Moscow hopes the DPRK will listen to the unanimous opinion of the world community, and its partners and neighbors, as well as abide by its commitments to non-proliferation and to "equal and mutually beneficial dialogue" with all interested parties, the statement said.

"Preconditions for such dialogue now exist, we are convinced, and it is necessary to take advantage of them in the interests of international peace and stability, in the interests of the people of (DPRK) itself," said the statement.

The Foreign Ministry's spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said on the same day that Moscow would further study the world situation after the DPRK's withdrawal and would issue an official statement in the near future.

Russia has repeatedly urged both the DPRK and the United Statesto resume dialogue and abide by a 1994 agreement under which Pyongyang froze its nuclear programs in exchange for energy supplies. Russia will keep close contacts with all sides, said Yakovenko.

The DPRK's announcement came as Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was paying a state visit to Russia.

In a statement, Koizumi called the withdrawal "extremely regrettable" and said Japan would work closely with other countries "to strongly demand the DPRK reverse its decision immediately."

He said he hoped to "discuss this issue fully" with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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