Russia Presses for Political Solution of DPRK Nuclear Issue

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, July 24, 2003

Russia Presses for Political Solution of DPRK Nuclear Issue

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Moscow supports diplomatic efforts for the political settlement of the deteriorating nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Deputy Foreign Minister Yury Fedotov said Wednesday.

He considered the escalating tension around DPRK's nuclear problem "a very serious problem," which poses a serious threat to Russia, Interfax reported.

"All this is happening in the immediate vicinity of our bordersand the consequences of the possible aggravation of the situation and escalation of tension could be very negative," said Fedotov.

"Diplomats are working very actively at present. We believe that past and future contacts will bring about tangible results, and we will be able to resolve this difficult problem via a peaceful political path," he was quoted as saying.

Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov warned earlier Wednesday that "there is a hypothetical possibility of a nuclear conflict" on the Korean Peninsula.

"The consequences of a nuclear blast, even if it goes off on DPRK's territory, could be detrimental for both the South and the North and, of course, for neighboring countries, including Russia," Losyukov said.

The senior Russian diplomat made the comment in an interview published by Vremya Novostei newspaper on Wednesday, blaming that no serious efforts have been made to reverse the deteriorating situation since October last year.

Talks ought to be launched immediately, but the main obstacles are DPRK's rejection of a multilateral format and the United States' refusal to conduct a two-way dialogue with Pyongyang, saidLosyukov.

The crisis over the DPRK's alleged nuclear program began last October when Washington said Pyongyang had admitted to running a secret nuclear program in breach of a 1994 bilateral accord.

The United States suspended fuel deliveries to the DPRK, which,in response, announced its withdrawal from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in January and later reactivated a nuclear reactor for generating electricity.

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