‘We will reach point of NO RETURN’ Russia pleads for North Korea calm amid WW3 fears
RUSSIA has urged the international community to show restraint when it comes to dealing with North Korea amid fears the poor handling of the ongoing tensions could mean reaching the “point of no return”.
By WILL KIRBY
Express.co.uk
Thu, Aug 17, 2017
Amid soaring tensions between Washington and Pyongyang, the influence of Russia and China could determine whether war breaks out as North Korea continues to develop its nuclear and missile programmes.
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Moscow: “Any attempt to resolve the problem over the Korean Peninsula by force will lead to a massive tragedy and enormous loss of life.”
Tensions appear to be gradually winding down after North Korean media reported Kim Jong-un had decided to postpone plans to fire four missile toward the US territory of Guam.
In response, US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to praise the despot leader.
He wrote: “Kim Jong Un of North Korea made a very wise and well reasoned decision. The alternative would have been both catastrophic and unacceptable!”
But Mr Trump is continuing to test Kim by staging joint military exercises with Japan.
The drill, which is part of a 19-day exercise, was conducted on the northern island of Hokkaido.
Troops fired live ammunition from armed vehicles as part of the Northern Viper 2017 exercise, which involves 3,300 US and Japanese troops.
A defence ministry spokesman said: “It is the first joint exercise between the GSDF [Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Force] and US Marines in Hokkaido”.
But he denied any link between the drill and recent tensions with North Korea.
He said: “This is not conducted with a particular country or region in mind.”
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