DA NANG /Vietnam/, November 11. /TASS/. Russia and China share similar views on the North Korean problem - all the parties should lower the tension and get to the negotiation table, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin told a news conference after the APEC summit on Saturday.
"As for foreign relations, as diplomats would say, Russia and China share very close positions, which may be similar on key issues," he said. "One of the key issues is North Korea. We consider it a problem, we do not recognize North Korea’s nuclear status. We are at the same time calling on all the conflicting parties to lower the tension and to find force to get to the negotiation table."
There is no any other solution to that problem, he added, stressing Russia and China had offered a roadmap for settlement, which outlines all the steps to undertake.
The Russian president pointed to encouraging signals from some countries, related to their attitude towards the North Korean problem.
"As you may have heard, there are encouraging signals, including from the U.S., from South Korea that everyone has the understanding there is no alternative to this [peaceful] settlement of the problem," Putin said. "I hope this is how it will be.".