MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Sanctions against North Korea cannot be adopted endlessly, they will not bring a result all by themselves, without dialogue, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said.
“They cannot be adopted endlessly because the aim of the sanctions should be reaching a certain result – in this case, Pyongyang changing its behavior in missile and nuclear sectors,” Ryabkov told Chinese and Japanese media outlets in an interview.
According to the Russian official, the UN Security Council lacks a key element in this regard, “namely, the political and conversational element, because sanctions cannot lead to the result by themselves.”
“[Sanctions] cannot change reality all by themselves, as they failed to change reality in the situations with Iran’s nuclear program,” he said.
Ryabkov added that the UN Security Council should be more engaged in political settlement of the North Korean problem and finding a compromise.
“What should be done to create prerequisites for a political compromise now, including between Pyongyang and Washington, is a separate issue, and the Security Council is definitely falling short in this sphere,” Ryabkov said.
The situation on the Korean Peninsula has become aggravated in recent months due to Pyongyang’s missile launches and nuclear tests, all conducted in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions. In late June, Beijing proposed a “double freeze” scenario, in which North Korea ceases its nuclear missile tests, while US-South Korean military drills are simultaneously halted. The initiative has been backed by Moscow but rejected by Washington. Pyongyang, however, has not yet issued an official response on the matter.
On August 5, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2371, which further tightens sanctions imposed on North Korea.
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