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| State Department Press Secretary Matthew Miller is seen answering questions during a daily press briefing at the state department in Washington in this Sept. 12 captured image. Yonhap |
The United States will not hesitate in taking any necessary action should North Korea agree to provide weapons to Russia, a state department spokesperson said Tuesday.
Matthew Miller also reiterated that any arms transfer from North Korea to Russia would violate multiple United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
"We will monitor what happens and will not hesitate to take action to hold those accountable if necessary," the department spokesperson told a daily press briefing when asked about a potential arms deal between Pyongyang and Moscow.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is currently on a visit to Russia where he is expected to hold a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.
Jung Pak, U.S. deputy special envoy for North Korea, said Monday that the Kim-Putin meeting might be the "final step" before the countries sign an arms deal.
Miller underscored that any arms trade with North Korea would be in violation of multiple UNSC resolutions.
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"We have been very clear about what our position is, which is that any transfer of arms from North Korea to Russia would violate multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions," he told the press briefing.
Russian officials were earlier quoted as saying that Russia may be willing to discuss lifting of sanctions currently imposed on North Korea with Pyongyang if necessary, apparently referring to UNSC sanctions.
Miller said "no" when asked if Russia could unilaterally lift UNSC sanctions on North Korea.
"Russia cannot take unilateral actions related to the United Nations Security Council," he said.
On the proposed transfer of Iranian funds previously frozen in South Korean banks accounts, the department spokesperson said the funds will be used for humanitarian purposes only, and under close U.S. oversight.
"So the waivers that the secretary signed on Friday that were notified to Congress yesterday were to effectuate the transfer of funds from accounts in South Korea," he said, noting the funds will be first transferred to special accounts in Europe and ultimately to accounts in Qatar.
"They will be available for use for humanitarian transactions with strict treasury department oversight," added Miller.
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| North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waves as he boards a train in Pyongyang to visit Russia to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Sept. 10, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap |
A Pentagon spokesperson noted that a Kim-Putin meeting will likely focus on an arms deal, while calling on Pyongyang not to provide weapons to Russia.
"Obviously we know that a meeting is to take place. Our understanding is that this will focus on arms negotiations," Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told a daily press briefing at the Department of Defense.
"And again, we would call on North Korea to meet its previous stated public commitments not to supply weapons to Russia, which will only end up prolonging the unnecessary war in Ukraine," he added. (Yonhap)
