Russia Calls On All Parties To Prevent Nuclear Confrontation In Northeast Asia - Ryabkov

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th January, 2023) Russia is calling on all parties involved in the situation around the Korean Peninsula to focus on avoiding a nuclear confrontation, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Sputnik, adding that Moscow is committed to the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons).

"I wouldn't want to talk about the prospects for an open nuclear confrontation in Northeast Asia, since the efforts of all the parties involved should be concentrated on avoiding it. I also want to add that the only reliable way not just to move away from the dangerous mark, but to solve the numerous problems, including the nuclear one, of the subregion, would be the creation of a peacekeeping system," Ryabkov said.

He added that Russia is ready for dialogue with all the interested parties on the basis of joint initiatives with China and the general road map on resolving the issues of the Korean Peninsula.

"As for the question regarding a hypothetical recognition of the nuclear status of the DPRK (North Korea), I would like to reiterate that Russia is fully committed to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, according to which only the 'Big Five' countries have nuclear status," Ryabkov told Sputnik.