FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

---

Russian Ambassador to Pyongyang Urges, First, Reduce Tensions on the Korean Peninsula

Feb. 8, 2018 (EIRNS)—Commenting on the crisis on the Korean Peninsula, Russia’s Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora told the Rossiya 24 TV channel today that the first step toward a resolution is to reduce tensions. He also said six party talks on de-nuclearization of North Korea are not likely to resume any time soon, but could in the future. “The probability at the moment is perhaps not very high. We believe that the six-party format will be relevant without fail. However, it will be relevant at the next stages. The task now is to seek to reduce tensions in relations between Pyongyang and Seoul, and try to reduce tensions between North Korea and the United States,” he said, continuing that “the issue at hand at the moment is work in a bilateral format,” according to a report in TASS.

Matsegora said that the North Korean authorities are inclined to discuss the issue of missiles and nuclear weapons “only with the Americans.” The six-party talks, begun in 2003 would include North Korea, South Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United States, and were suspended in 2008.