North Korea Sanctions: Putin Warns Of ‘Global Catastrophe’

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said on Tuesday that imposing
tougher sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear missile programme
would be counter-productive.

The Russian leader also said threats of military action could
trigger “a global catastrophe”.

Putin, speaking after a BRICs summit in China, criticised U.S.
diplomacy in the crisis and renewed his call for talks, saying
Pyongyang would not halt its missile testing programme until it
felt secure.

“Russia condemns North Korea’s exercises, we consider that they
are a provocation … (But) ramping up military hysteria will lead to
nothing good. It could lead to a global catastrophe,” he said.

“There’s no other path apart from a peaceful one.’’

Putin was speaking after South Korea said an agreement with the
U.S. to scrap a weight limit on its warheads would help it respond
to the North Korea threat after Pyongyang conducted its sixth and
largest nuclear test two days ago.

Russia, which shares a border with North Korea, has repeatedly
joined China in calling for negotiations with Pyongyang, suggesting
that the U.S. and South Korea halt all major war games in exchange
for North Korea halting its testing programme.

While describing additional sanctions as “the road to nowhere”,
Putin said Russia was prepared to discuss “some details” around the
issue, without elaborating.

Putin also lashed out at the U.S., saying it was preposterous
for Washington to ask for Moscow’s help with North Korea after
sanctioning Russian companies whom U.S. officials accused of
violating North Korea sanctions.

“It’s ridiculous to put us on the same sanctions list as North
Korea and then ask for our help in imposing sanctions on North
Korea,” said Putin.

“This is being done by people, who mix up Australia with
Austria,” he added.

The U.S. has floated the idea of requiring all countries to cut
economic links with North Korea to try to strong-arm Pyongyang into
changing its behaviour.

In Moscow’s case, that would mean stopping using North Korean
labourers, tens of thousands of whom work in Russia, and halting
fuel supplies to Pyongyang.

Russia has so far refused to contemplate doing either.

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said on Tuesday that imposing
tougher sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear missile programme
would be counter-productive.

The Russian leader also said threats of military action could
trigger “a global catastrophe”.

Putin, speaking after a BRICs summit in China, criticised U.S.
diplomacy in the crisis and renewed his call for talks, saying
Pyongyang would not halt its missile testing programme until it
felt secure.

“Russia condemns North Korea’s exercises, we consider that they
are a provocation … (But) ramping up military hysteria will lead to
nothing good. It could lead to a global catastrophe,” he said.

“There’s no other path apart from a peaceful one.’’

Putin was speaking after South Korea said an agreement with the
U.S. to scrap a weight limit on its warheads would help it respond
to the North Korea threat after Pyongyang conducted its sixth and
largest nuclear test two days ago.

Russia, which shares a border with North Korea, has repeatedly
joined China in calling for negotiations with Pyongyang, suggesting
that the U.S. and South Korea halt all major war games in exchange
for North Korea halting its testing programme.

While describing additional sanctions as “the road to nowhere”,
Putin said Russia was prepared to discuss “some details” around the
issue, without elaborating.

Putin also lashed out at the U.S., saying it was preposterous
for Washington to ask for Moscow’s help with North Korea after
sanctioning Russian companies whom U.S. officials accused of
violating North Korea sanctions.

“It’s ridiculous to put us on the same sanctions list as North
Korea and then ask for our help in imposing sanctions on North
Korea,” said Putin.

“This is being done by people, who mix up Australia with
Austria,” he added.

The U.S. has floated the idea of requiring all countries to cut
economic links with North Korea to try to strong-arm Pyongyang into
changing its behaviour.

In Moscow’s case, that would mean stopping using North Korean
labourers, tens of thousands of whom work in Russia, and halting
fuel supplies to Pyongyang.

Russia has so far refused to contemplate doing either.