UNITED NATIONS, January 19. /TASS/. U.S. charges Russia with non-observance of sanctions against the DPRK and asks to trust what it says but it does not cite a single fact that would prove Russia’s encroachments on the sanctions, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference on Friday after a meeting at the UN Security Council.
"While our U.S. counterparts say we don’t cooperate, we say we do cooperate and we ask them to provide any facts that would highlight any inconsistencies on our part," he said.
"We recall the phrase ‘Trust me’ that Arnold Schwarzenegger, one of our most favorite actors, would always say, also without any facts," Lavrov said jokingly. "Let’s work along this principle then. I think very little will come out of it in practical terms, though, if we abide by the rules of this kind."
He recalled that the UN Security Council had a special committee for examining any complaints.
"Still, if the committee doesn’t get any well-specified complaints, this means there are no concrete facts and I can’t say anything more," Lavrov said.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters earlier Russia was not observing all the sanctions imposed on the DPRK by the UN. Specifically, he claimed the violations concerned supplies of fuel.
President Donald Trump told Reuters Russia was not helping resolution of the situation around the DPRK. More than that, the claimed Moscow was "denting" the steps taken by Beijing.
"The situation in Korea deteriorated once again at the end of November when Beijing launched the Hwansong-15 ballistic missile of a new type.
Experts said in the wake of the test that the missile could carry a nuclear warhead and the entire territory of the U.S. fell within its effective range.
In response to the test, the UN Security Council passed a unanimous resolution on toughening the already burdensome sanctions against the DPRK.