RUSSIA: Russia has told North Korea to give up its nuclear programme but has accused the United States of inflaming tensions with the Stalinist state and insisted sanctions against Pyongyang were premature.
"We cannot but regret the recent decisions of Pyongyang to remove IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency\] inspectors and restart unmonitored work of its nuclear power complex," the Russian Foreign Minister, Mr Igor Ivanov, said.
"North Korea must respect all its relevant international obligations," he added in a statement.
However he also blamed Washington for driving Pyongyang to confrontation through its "aggressive rhetoric and threats" and said it was essential to resolve the issue peacefully and through dialogue.
Mr Ivanov said Moscow remained committed to salvaging a collapsed 1994 deal between Pyongyang and Washington, under which North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear programme in return for food and fuel aid.
"This can only be achieved through constructive dialogue between all interested parties. Aggressive rhetoric and threats and attempts to isolate North Korea can only escalate tensions, which will not help regional and international stability," he said.
Moscow, he added, was in close consultation with North and South Korea, Japan, China and the US in an effort to resolve the crisis through diplomatic means.
Another senior Russian official said Russia rejected the use of economic sanctions to force Pyongyang to comply. "It would be counter-productive and premature to speak about any sanctions," the head of the foreign ministry's disarmament and security department, Mr Mikhail Lysenko, was quoted by the Interfax news agency.
US press reports say the Bush administration has prepared a policy to put financial and political pressure on Pyongyang.
Pyongyang has also hinted it might also withdraw from the international nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Mr Lysenko said North Korea had the right to do so, but urged it to step back from such a move. - (AFP)