Russia’s Putin condemns North Korea’s nuclear test as provocation, stops short of supporting more sanctions.
Latest on North Korea’s nuclear test and the world reaction (all times local) :
1: 15 p.m.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned North Korea’s latest nuclear test as provocation.
North Korea’s detonation of a hydrogen bomb on Sunday marked its most powerful nuclear test to date.
Putin said Tuesday at a news conference in China that Russia saw the test as „provocative.“ But he stopped short of expressing support for imposing more U. N. sanctions on North Korea, and said Russia viewed them as „useless and ineffective.“
Putin said it was „ridiculous“ that the United States first slapped Russia with sanctions carried in the same bill that penalized North Korea, and „then asked us to help impose sanctions on North Korea.“
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noon
Japanese lawmakers are demanding tougher U. N. sanctions on North Korea, after it conducted a sixth nuclear test over the weekend.
The resolution by Japan’s parliamentary committee condemns the nuclear test, and urges the Japanese government to take leadership in pushing for tougher punishment against Pyongyang, as measures are being discussed at the United Nations Security Council.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono told lawmakers it was time to increase pressure on North Korea and eliminate loopholes that allow some countries to continue trading with Pyongyang.
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