North Korea is not interested in increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, but will not shy away from war, Chairman of Russia's Federation Council Committee for Foreign Affairs Konstantin Kosachev (pictured) stated on Thursday after meeting with Pyongyang's Ambassador to Russia. "North Korea has confirmed that Pyongyang is not interested in escalation of the conflict or military action, but it is not afraid of war, as it was formulated in yesterday’s statement of [North Korea’s] Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Kosachev said.
The senator stressed that there is no real alternative to the Russian-Chinese proposal for settling the North Korean crisis, which calls for concessions from both sides in the conflict. According to the plan, North Korea would halt its nuclear and ballistic program if the United States and its allies stop with the military drills around the Peninsula. "We don’t see any alternative to advancement through partial, but parallel and interconnected, concessions in order to deescalate the situation," Kosachev noted. The senator also confirmed that Russia respects North Korea's sovereignty and its right of the sovereign development, adding that Moscow will do everything in its power to deescalate the tensions.
