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Russian senator calls N Korean test 'outrageous challenge,' but rules out force response

Kosachev said DPRK authorities continue ignoring position of the international community

MOSCOW, September 3. /TASS/. The North Korean test of a hydrogen bomb is a challenge to the international community, but a force settlement of the problem is impossible, head of the international relations committee of the Russian parliament's upper chamber (Federation Council) Konstantin Kosachev said on Sunday.

"The DPRK's test of a hydrogen bomb is another outrageous challenge to the international community, which deserves condemnation," he said. "However, generally speaking, this test has not changed anything in the current situation. A force variant of settlement is excluded. Its consequences could be ruining and unforeseen, and I believe the DPRK's objective is to persuade the world in it."

At the same time, he continued, the North Korean authorities continue ignoring position of the international community, which is expressed first of all in the UN resolutions.

"However, its actions are addressed exclusively to the U.S. and its allies in the region," the senator said. "The race of threats would be only growing if either party does not stop it. Ideally - the stronger party."

If Pyongyang did not have the mass destruction weapon, it would have experienced an operation similar to that in Iraq.

"The current plot only proves: despite the well-known test tubes, Saddam Hussein became a target right because the U.S. did not doubt he did not have mass destruction weapon. By having attacked Iraq, but fearing to do so with the DPRK, Washington sends a clear signal to all - arm yourselves," he added.

While speaking about settlement of the situation, he said the roadmap on de-activation of the situation, which Russia and China have presented, is still valid.

"Or rather having no alternative: de-escalation of the conflict should feature both sides," he said.

Nuclear tests

On Sunday, North Korea announced a successful test of a nuclear warhead for intercontinental ballistic missiles, the Korean Central Television said. Japanese and South Korean experts said the quake had manmade origins and was almost ten times stronger than the similar quake in 2016, when Pyongyang reported the fifth nuclear test. Following the sixth nuclear test, the Chinese seismologists registered two earthquakes of 6.3 and 4.6 magnitude, saying a possible reason could be "explosion and destruction." The South Korean side has voiced the yield of Sunday’s test could be 100 kilotons.