Tillerson urges Russia, China to cooperate against N. Korean missile threats

WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (KUNA) -- While speaking at the UN, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged nuclear powers, Russia and China, to cooperate with the global community in order to pressure North Korea to end its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
"Russia has often acted in ways that weaken global norms and undercut efforts to hold nations accountable," Tillerson remarked at the UN Security Council Session on Nuclear Non-Proliferation.
"Examples include violating its own obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, flouting the security assurances it made at the end of the Cold War." He continued, "If Russia wants to restore its role as a credible actor in resolving the situation with North Korea, it can prove its good intentions by upholding its commitments to established international efforts on nuclear security and arms control." The Secretary Stressed that "cooperation from China is also essential" to get nuclear and missile threats from North Korea under control and "prevent a catastrophe spiraling of instability and conflict on the Korean peninsula." "If China truly desires to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, now is the time to work with the rest of us, the rest of the international community, to put the kind of pressure on North Korea that can change its strategic calculation before it's too late," he added.
"North Korea may assume that nuclear weapons will ensure the survival of its regime, in truth, nuclear weapons are clearly only leading to greater isolation, ignominy, and deprivation," Tillerson argued. (end) ak.tg