MOSCOW. April 18 (Interfax) - Moscow is concerned about North Korea's nuclear missile program and has told Pyongyang on numerous occasions that it cannot ensure its security at the expense of the security of other countries of the region, Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora said.
"The DPRK's nuclear missile program is a big problem. And this problem could be much more relevant to our country than to anyone else. It's clear that all of this is also very relevant to our Chinese neighbors, but we are located a stone's throw from the range where nuclear tests are conducted, our consulate is in Chongjin, literally a hundred kilometers away from the range, or perhaps even closer. Therefore, when all of this [nuclear testing] happens, this is a cause for very serious concern, and we say openly to our Korean partners that this can't make us happy or contented," Matsegora said in an interview on Public Television of Primorye.
"Our position is that it is wrong to ensure your own security at the expense of your neighbor's security. This is a message we address to our neighbors. They should take into account that close to the range is Vladivostok, Russia, where hundreds of thousands of Russians live. We cannot just turn a blind eye to what is happening here in this respect. That's precisely why this is the only reason we support the sanctions regime," he said.
"We want the DPRK to resolve its security problems with due regard for the security of all countries located here, with due regard for the interests of preserving peace and stability. And there should be no threats to the people living in this region," he said.