MOSCOW (REUTERS): Russia and China Friday told North Korea its nuclear ambitions were unacceptable, urging Pyongyang to resume talks over its nuclear weapons programme and heed a U.N. Security Council resolution banning ballistic missile tests.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stepped up pressure on Pyongyang after holding talks in Moscow a day after North Korea defied the United Nations by firing two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea.
“We do not recognise the nuclear status of the DPRK,” Mr. Wang said in a statement.
The North should “fully and comprehensively” implement the U.N. resolution, Mr. Wang said. “At the same time, we will not spare efforts to return to the six-way talks,” he added.
North Korean leader Kim Jong ordered the country to improve its nuclear attack capability by conducting more tests.
Commenting on the North’s growing nuclear ambitions, Mr. Wang said the latest U.N. resolution banning its nuclear tests must be “implemented point by point.”
“We should block further development of nuclear weapons in the DPRK,” he said.
Mr. Lavrov said Moscow deemed Pyongyang’s behaviour “irresponsible”.
“We believe that the world community’s firm reaction will be interpreted by Pyongyang as a signal that there should be no such escapades in future,” said Mr. Lavrov.
Both Mr. Wang and Mr. Lavrov also hit out at U.S. plans to deploy a missile system in South Korea.
“The deployment of this U.S. missile system far exceeds the actual defence needs of the [Korean] peninsula … and will harm the strategic balance of power in the region, possibly leading to a new arms race,” said Mr. Wang.
