MOSCOW, April 27. /TASS/. The situation in the Korean Peninsula keeps degrading, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing on Thursday.

"The situation in the Korean Peninsula keeps degrading," she said. "This trend is rooted in the conflicting parties’ reluctance to abandon confrontation-breeding attitudes and attempts to address the outstanding issues from the position of strength in favor of a positive agenda."

"Of particular concern is the presence of a US naval task force off Northeast Asia and Pyongyang’s retaliatory belligerent rhetoric," Zakharova said.

In a situation like this it is essential to prevent events from following a critical scenario, fraught with a slide towards an open armed confrontation.

"We are calling upon all parties concerned to display restraint and to soberly evaluate once again the likely effects of further escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and the region in general," Zakharova said.