Sanctions on N Korea should not hint military action: Russia

Moscow, Oct 14 (UNI) Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanv today said possible UN sanctions against North Korea should not even hint on military action against Pyongyang.

''UN sanctions must not even hint on military action and must not be aimed against the North Korean people,'' Mr Ivanov told mediapersons after his talks with the Chinese President's special envoy Tang Jiaxuan who is currently on an official visit to Moscow to discuss the spread of weapons of mass destruction and missile technology.

''Political and diplomatic efforts must aim to resume the six-party talks as soon as possible,'' he said.

The UN Security Council was expected to vote today on the US-drafted resolution to impose sanctions against Pyongyang, which declared on Monday that it carried out an underground nuclear test.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this week that diplomacy should be the only way for the international community to dissuade North Korea from further nuclear tests.

However, Mr Ivanov stressed that if imposed, economic sanctions against North Korea must be immediately lifted in the event of progress at the six-nation talks on Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

On his part, Mr Jiaxuan said both Russia and China were opposed to Pyongyang's nuclear test and believed the international community's response should be strong and yet moderate.

He also said the nuclear test had drastically changed the political situation in the region.

''We urge all parties involved to return to negotiations in the six-party format. All parties must seek a peaceful solution to this issue,'' Mr Jiaxuan said.

Mr Ivanov said the relations between Russia and China were not aimed against any third country and helped them combating effectively modern threats and challenges.

''Russia-China relations are not aimed against any third country, but they help to combat effectively modern threats and challenges.

It is obvious that one of the main threats is the expansion of the weapons of mass destruction and missile technologies,'' he said.

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