Moscow worried about North Korean crisis

Moscow has ordered Russian officials to work out “preventive measures” to defend national interests and its Far East population should the crisis on the Korean Peninsula spin out of control, a top diplomat said today.

“As a result of the positions of the US and North Korea, which do not permit the start of negotiations, unfortunately the situation on the Korean Peninsula continues to sharpen and is approaching a point beyond which could lie an uncontrollable reaction,” Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov said.

North Korea yesterday warned that the war in Iraq proved it needed a strong military deterrent against the US. Losyukov said Moscow might reconsider its opposition to economic sanctions against North Korea, which the US favours, if Pyongyang starts to considering producing or using nuclear weapons.