Moscow and Pyongyang are historical allies (file photo)
Moscow:
Russia said on Friday that United Nations sanctions against North Korea were an obstacle to promoting dialogue and peace on the Korean peninsula and would not contribute to regional security.
The comments came as Russia used its veto power to effectively end official United Nations oversight of sanctions on North Korea and launched an investigation into alleged arms transfers between Moscow and Pyongyang, a move that faced strong opposition.
“International restrictive measures over the years have done nothing to improve the security situation in the region,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
“On the contrary, in the absence of mechanisms to review sanctions in a mitigating manner, this instrument remains a serious irritant that hinders confidence-building and political dialogue,” she added.
Russia’s veto at the U.N. Security Council on Thursday blocked the renewal of a U.N. panel of experts investigating sanctions violations related to North Korea’s banned nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The Kremlin defended the veto on Friday.
“This position is more in line with our interests,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a daily briefing.
The Russian spy chief visited North Korea earlier this week to discuss security cooperation.
Moscow and Pyongyang are historical allies, with ties growing stronger since Russia began its military offensive in Ukraine.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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