In an unusually frank statement, Russia has revealed its concerns at North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and called upon it to abandon uranium enrichment and re-engage with the IAEA.
In the statement, released yesterday in response to North Korea’s November 30th revelation that its uranium enrichment and light water reactor construction are both progressing well, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “The consistent implementation of uranium programs in the DPRK (North Korea) cannot but cause serious concern.”
It went on, “Although we have never questioned the DPRK’s sovereign right to develop peaceful nuclear energy, we cannot agree with the fact that this right is being realized outside the scope of the generally recognized nonproliferation regimes, contrary to the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
The statement then went on to urge North Korea to “heed the opinion of the international community as expressed in UNSCRs 1718 and 1874, to begin practical efforts to return to NPT and IAEA safeguards, and as a first step to declare a moratorium on all nuclear activity, including uranium enrichment, and invite IAEA specialists to examine its uranium enrichment facility at the Yongbyon nuclear centre.”
If North Korea were to do so, it concluded, “Favorable conditions will thus be created for the restart of the six-party talks on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the reinforcement of peace and stability in the Northeast Asia region.”
On a similar note, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also commented in a briefing yesterday, “Every state has the right to use peaceful nuclear energy, but at the same time the duty of rigorous non-proliferation.”
