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Tensions on the Korean Peninsula

Russia hails North Korea’s decision to dismantle nuclear test site

Moscow commends North Korea’s decision to dismantle the nuclear test in the country’s northeast

Nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, North Korea Satellite Image ©2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP

Nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, North Korea

© Satellite Image ©2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP

KERCH, May 16. /TASS/. Moscow commends North Korea’s decision to dismantle the nuclear test site Punggye-ri in the country’s northeast, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the media on Wednesday.

"We welcome the decision to hold a special ceremony on May 23-25 heralding the dismantling of the North Korean nuclear test site to which journalists from Russia and a number of other countries have been invited," Zakharova said.

Read also

US-North Korean leaders' meeting

Moscow expects a meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump scheduled for June 12 in Singapore to be successful, she went on.

"We mark a trend towards the easing of tensions around the Korean Peninsula," the diplomat said. "We welcome the agreement to hold a meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 12 in Singapore."

"We expect that the announced event will be successful and consolidate the positive trend of settling the subregional problems," Zakharova stressed.

Only "multilateral consultations on the establishment of a stable mechanism for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula" can help find long-term and mutually acceptable solutions to this conflict, she said. "We are conducting work with all partners to launch these negotiations," she noted.

In addition, the Russian diplomat highly valued Pyongyang’s decision to hold a ceremony for dismantling the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. "We welcome the decision to hold a dismantling ceremony for the North Korean nuclear test site on May 23 - 25, which will be attended by reporters from Russia and some other countries," the diplomat said.

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