Putin brings some sanity into the conversation on N Korea

Weapons of mass destruction will not be used on Korean peninsula - Putin

RT,

7 September, 2017

Russian president Vladimir Putin is confident that there will be no conflict with the use of weapons of mass destruction in North-East Asia, he said at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok.

“We hope it will not come to a conflict with the use of weapons of mass destruction in North-East Asia”,Russian president Vladimir Putin stated at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok.

“There are possibilities to achieve the settlement of Pyongyang’s problem by diplomatic means. This is possible and must be done,” he stated.

Putin believes in the possibility of solving the question of the Korean peninsula.

"We need to work together. We can and must achieve positive results," Putin said, speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum on Thursday.

He recalled that in 2005, participants in the negotiations about the situation on the Korean peninsula were close to solving the problem.

"We almost agreed on everything in 2005. Agreements were reached, according to which North Korea assumed the obligation to curtail the nuclear missile program, and all the other participants in this process promised to contribute to this process, and spoke of the need to restore normal, good relations between the North and the South, on the possibility of implementing tripartite Russia-North-South projects," the Russian leader noted.

"But then, unfortunately in my opinion, someone demanded from North Korea what it did not promise, and gradually this situation deteriorated to the current level," Putin said.

The Russian leader believes that Pyongyang perceives nuclear weapons as its only protection, and will not abandon them.

"They [in North Korea] view the possession of atomic weapons and missile technology as their only means of protection. Do you think they’ll give it up now?”

The military hysteria around North Korea is counter-productive, Putin warned.  

"The build-up of some military atmosphere, of hysteria, is counter-productive, in my opinion. It will lead to nothing, because what is happening now, of course, is a provocation from North Korea. This is quite obvious. They are provoking the situation, but if they are doing it, they are not stupid people, believe me. So, they expect the corresponding reaction from [their] partners, and they achieve it," Putin said.

VLADIMIR Putin has lashed out at Donald Trump for threatening to impose more UN sanctions on North Korea

TheExpress,

7 September, 2017

In a scathing attack on the US president, Russia's Mr Putin warned the measure could push Kim Jong-un into sparking World War 3.

He claimed the next step after sanctions would be an "invitation to the cemetery" because Kim will never give up his nuclear weapons.

He said: "We hope it will not come to a conflict with the use of weapons of mass destruction in North-East Asia.

In a scathing attack on the US president, Russia's Mr Putin warned the measure could push Kim Jong-un into sparking World War 3.

He claimed the next step after sanctions would be an "invitation to the cemetery" because Kim will never give up his nuclear weapons.

He said: "We hope it will not come to a conflict with the use of weapons of mass destruction in North-East Asia.

"There are possibilities to achieve the settlement of Pyongyang's problem by diplomatic means. This is possible and must be done.

"We are telling them that we will not impose sanctions, which means you will live better, you will have more good and tasty food on the table, you will dress better.

"But the next step, they think, is an invitation to the cemetery. And they will never agree with this."

Mr Putin urged Mr Trump not to whip up military "hysteria" around the North Korean crisis, saying it would be "counter-productive".

North Korea sees its nuclear programme as the only way to protect its security despite the economic impact of sanctions, he added.

He told the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in the far eastern Russian city of Vladivostok: "It's impossible to scare them [North Korea].

"They view the possession of atomic weapons and missile technology as their only means of protection. Do you think they'll give it up now?"

Kremlin chief Mr Putin added: "The build-up of some military atmosphere, of hysteria, is counter-productive, in my opinion.

"It will lead to nothing, because what is happening now, of course, is a provocation from North Korea. This is quite obvious.

"They are provoking the situation, but if they are doing it, they are not stupid people, believe me.

"So they expect the corresponding reaction from their partners, and they achieve it."

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister also attacked Mr Trump's call for sanctions on Kim's brutal regime at the economic summit.

Igor Morgulov said: "Now the United States is calling for even more severe new sanctions, but this is an infinite path.

"We will be walking in this vicious circle of sanctions, which will be followed by new tough answers from North Korea, and the situation will only get worse.

"We must understand that the sanctions mechanism has now practically exhausted itself."

However, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on world powers to press Pyongyang to abide by its UN obligations.

He told the same conference: "North Korea must fulfil all UN resolutions, abandon its nuclear and missile programmes."

"The international community must unite to force North Korea to fulfil its UN obligations."

South Korean President Moon Jae-in added. "I hope that Russia will continue its support on this question [supporting sanctions]."