Threats of force against North Korea risk ‘global catastrophe’, Putin warns

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Tuesday of a global “catastrophe” unless a diplomatic solution is reached over North Korea, rejecting US calls for further sanctions on Pyongyang as useless.


Putin’s comments appeared to draw the lines for a clash with Washington, which on Monday demanded the “strongest possible measures” against North Korea for detonating what it said was a hydrogen bomb.

The announcement and North Korea’s claim that it could mount the warhead on a missile, dramatically upped the stakes in Pyongyang’s standoff with the international community over its banned weapons programmes.

Putin, speaking after an international gathering in China, said Russia condemned North Korea’s “provocative” actions.

“But resorting to just any sanctions in this situation is useless and inefficient,” he told reporters in the Chinese city of Xiamen following a summit of the five-nation BRICS club of emerging economies.

‘Planetary catastrophe’

Putin called for dialogue and warned against other actions that could escalate the crisis.

“All of this can lead to a global planetary catastrophe and a great number of victims,” he said.
  [france24.com]
5/9/17