Russia to Send Envoy to Help Mediate DPRK Crisis

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 15, 2003

Russia to Send Envoy to Help Mediate DPRK Crisis

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Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Tuesday that Russia might shortly send an envoy to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other interested countries to help mediate the crisis over the DPRK's nuclear program.

"I do not rule out the possibility that a Russian representative will go to the region (the Korean peninsula) in thenext few days for consultations with the DPRK and other interestedparties," Ivanov told a news conference.

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said that Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov would travel as the representative to China, the DPRK and the United States. But he also did not elaborate on Losyukov's mission and the exact dates for his tour.

"During the last few days, there have been encouraging statements that mean that the situation could be returned to as itwas before the DPRK withdrew from the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the status quo could be restored," said the minister after talks with Japanese Director-General of Defense Agency Shigeru Ishiba.

He reaffirmed Moscow's concerns over Pyongyang's withdrawal from the NPT, saying the "regrettable" move undermines arms control and non-proliferation efforts. However, he stressed that Pyongyang should not be threatened.

"The problem should be solved by political means without dictate and pressure on the DPRK," Ivanov said.

Russia has repeatedly called for a peaceful solution to the DPRK crisis and the Foreign Ministry last Friday proposed a "package solution", which calls for non-nuclear status on the Korean Peninsula, bilateral and multilateral dialogue as well as the resumption of humanitarian and economic programs in the DPRK.

Asked whether Russia had received response to its package plan,Ivanov said "We have given our proposals. There are other ideas, which we are also studying quite closely."

The DPRK announced on Jan. 10 its withdrawal from the NPT, but said that Pyongyang had no intention to produce nuclear weapons.

The crisis began in early December, when the DPRK announced to restart its nuclear facilities to produce electricity because the United States had halted fuel deliveries in violation of a 1994 agreement.

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