G7 foreign ministers “condemn North Korea-Russia military cooperation in the strongest terms”

by times news cr

2024-04-20 06:43:58

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken mentioned the issue of military cooperation between North Korea and Russia on the 19th (local time) and said, “The seven major countries (G7) are stepping up efforts to block arms transfers and support for Russia’s defense industrial base.” “He said.

According to the Voice of America (VOA), Secretary Blinken, who attended the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting held on the Italian island of Capri since the 17th, said at a press conference that day, “North Korea and Iran are mainly supplying weapons to Russia.”

“Currently, the largest contributor to Russia’s defense industrial base is China,” he said. “China shares machine tools, semiconductors, and other dual-use items, and Russia’s defense industrial base has been greatly damaged by sanctions and export controls.” “It is helping with the reconstruction,” he criticized.

He then pointed out that while China claims to want ‘good relations’ with other countries, including Europe, on the other hand, it should not show a two-faced behavior by encouraging Russia, which is the biggest threat to European security.

He emphasized, “The G7 agrees on the need for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and the Korean Peninsula,” and added, “We are also united in opposing China’s unfair and non-market practices.”

Prior to this, the G7 foreign ministers (USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Japan, and Italy) criticized ‘North Korea-Russia military cooperation’ in a joint statement issued after a three-day meeting on this day.

They said, “We condemn in the strongest terms the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including North Korea’s exports in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and Russia’s procurement of North Korean ballistic missiles and their use against Ukraine.”

He continued, “We are also deeply concerned about the possibility of nuclear or ballistic missile-related technology being transferred to North Korea in violation of Security Council resolutions.”

The G7 foreign ministers said, “We urge North Korea to refrain from conducting any more nuclear tests,” and added, “It must also stop generating revenue for its illegal ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programs, including malicious cyber activities.”

He then pointed out North Korea’s human rights violations, expressed disappointment over the continued refusal to engage in dialogue, and said, “We urge North Korea to accept repeated offers for dialogue in order to strengthen peace and security in the region.”

(Seoul = News 1)

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2024-04-20 06:43:58

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