Leonid Slutsky
The leaders of the world must continue to seek a diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem posed by North Korea, as the online sanctions pressure on Pyongyang is exhausted. This opinion was expressed by Chairman of the Duma Committee on international Affairs Leonid Slutsky on Tuesday, September 12, reports TASS.
He reminded that Moscow has never approved of the self-proclaimed North Korea’s nuclear status: “Russia supported new UN security Council resolution against North Korea adopted in response to the test of the hydrogen bomb, as all the previous sanctions.”
This Slutsky noted that sanctions pressure is unlikely to compel Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program. “It is necessary to look for alternative sanctions, to intensify the political and diplomatic resources”, — said the head of the Committee.
He also expressed regret that the final text of the resolution does not include the proposal of Russia and China of “double freeze” — termination of the exercise U.S. and its allies in the Korean Peninsula in exchange for the suspension of missile and nuclear tests of the DPRK.
The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution imposing new sanctions against North Korea on September 11. According to the document, the country will be restrictions on deliveries to oil, also determined a limit on the supply of crude oil — the volumes should not exceed the figures for the past 12 months. Moreover, Pyongyang will not be able to buy condensates and natural gas liquids and sell textile products.
On 3 September, the DPRK announced the successful underground test of a hydrogen warhead for Intercontinental ballistic missiles. Recent seismological data of Japanese experts presented September 6, indicate that the power of the explosion was about 160 kilotons.