MOSCOW. March 3 (Interfax) - Russia considers the escalation of tensions in the Korean Peninsula 'unacceptable' and expects the parties to weigh the possible side-effects from the planned deployment of U.S. THAAD missile defense systems in the Republic of Korea.
"We also expect that the essence of the UN Security Council's resolution will not be interpreted as grounds for worsening the economic and humanitarian condition of the DPRK citizens. It is even more unacceptable to escalate the tensions, and whip up an arms race, which is fraught with the appearance of new dividing lines in the region," the Russian Foreign Ministry said, in a commentary on the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution on North Korea, on Thursday.
"We expect that the relevant parties, in particular, will weigh all of the side-effects from the planned deployment of U.S. THAAD systems in the Republic of Korea," it said.
After North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test and sent a satellite into a near-earth orbit, the U.S. and South Korea started negotiations on deploying the advanced THAAD missile defense system in the Korean Peninsula. Beijing has strongly objected to the step, arguing that this is being done not so much to defend from North Korea, as to deter China.