Russia backs steps to avoid further tension in Korea

By Hakan Ceyhan Aydogan

MOSCOW (AA) - Steps must be taken to avoid further tension on the Korean Peninsula, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday.

"We attribute great importance to taking urgent steps to prevent further escalation of tension on the Korean Peninsula," Lavrov said at a news conference with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow.

Lavrov said all UN Security Council resolutions had to be implemented by the concerned parties, recalling that the resolutions called on Pyongyang to stop missile and nuclear tests.

Wang, for his part, said China would continue to work for the stability of the region.

"We want Korean Peninsula to be denuclearized," Wang said. "We do not think that the problem can be solved by using force."

North Korea is barred from ballistic missile technology under multiple Security Council resolutions, and has suffered UN sanctions for more than a decade.