Sanctions against Pyongyang 'rigid but necessary', says Russia

Moscow, March 3: New sanctions imposed on North Korea to punish it for nuclear tests and satellite launch is a “rigid but necessary” measure, the Russian foreign ministry said on Thursday. “The UN Security Council has expressed a consolidated opinion of the intertiol community, which does not accept irresponsible ‘games’ with nuclear missiles,” the ministry said in an online statement.

“We hope that the DPRK side will adequately accept this decision, make the right conclusions, and return to the negotiating table,” the Russian ministry said. The statement said all concerned parties must consider the consequence of the deployment of US missile system on the Korean peninsula in response to Pyongyang actions. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on January 6 and went ahead with a long-range rocket launch on February 7. The launch was condemned by the intertiol community. The UN Security Council approved unimously on Wednesday a new package of sanctions against Pyongyang, which included a ban on all exports of coal, iron, iron ore, gold, titanium ore, vadium ore and rare earth metals from North Korea. It also prohibits the supply of all types of aviation fuel, including rocket fuel, to North Korea, and requires all states to inspect all cargo going to and from Pyongyang. (IANS)