|
Putin, who is due to attend a summit of the BRICS nations in
China next week, wrote in an article published on the Kremlin's
web site ahead of his trip that he favored negotiations with
North Korea instead.
"It is essential to resolve the region's problems through direct
dialogue involving all sides without advancing any preconditions
(for such talks)," Putin wrote.
"Provocations, pressure, and bellicose and offensive rhetoric is
the road to nowhere."
The situation on the Korean Peninsula had deteriorated so much
that it was now "balanced on the verge of a large-scale
conflict," said the Russian leader.
North Korea has been working to develop a nuclear-tipped missile
capable of hitting the United States and has recently threatened
to land missiles near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam.
On Monday, Pyongyang, which sees joint war games between the
United States and South Korea as preparations for invasion,
raised the stakes in its stand-off with the United States and
its allies by firing an intermediate-range missile over Japan.
"In Russia's opinion the calculation that it is possible to halt
North Korea's nuclear missile programs exclusively by putting
pressure on Pyongyang is erroneous and futile," Putin wrote.
A road map formulated by Moscow and Beijing, which would involve
North Korea stopping work on its missile program in exchange for
the United States and South Korea halting large-scale war games,
was a way to gradually reduce tensions, wrote Putin.
(Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
