Russia on Tuesday expressed doubt that tough new sanctions on North Korea will be quickly adopted by the UN Security Council, and said any new measure should support efforts to open up talks with Pyongyang.
Russia on Tuesday expressed doubt that tough new sanctions on North Korea will be quickly adopted by the UN Security Council, and said any new measure should support efforts to open up talks with Pyongyang.
The United States is planning to circulate as early as Tuesday a draft sanctions resolution in response to North Korea’s sixth and most powerful nuclear test, with Ambassador Nikki Haley pushing for a vote on the new measures on Monday.
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters that a vote on Monday would be “a little premature. I don’t think we will be able to rush it so fast.”
Russia argues that sanctions alone will not resolve the North Korea crisis and are backing a Chinese proposal for talks based on a freeze of North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests in exchange for a suspension of US-South Korean military drills.
Nebenzia said a new resolution should stress the need for diplomatic steps.
“We want a reference to the need for a political dialogue based on the recent initiatives that have been undertaken, ” Nebenzia said.
