Zakharova rebukes Western claims on Russia-DPRK collaboration breach

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
11 Nov 2023 17:33

In October, White House Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby claimed, without substantiating evidence, that the DPRK had provided Russia with arms.

In this photo released by the Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via their telegram channel, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov left, and DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui shake hands during their meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023 (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service telegram channel via AP)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Saturday rejected Western allegations claiming that Russia's collaboration with the DPRK breached UN Security Council resolutions.

In October, White House Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby claimed, without substantiating evidence, that the DPRK had provided Russia with over 1,000 containers of military gear and ammunition meant for deployment in Ukraine.

"The accusations made by the collective West of illegal military-technical cooperation between Russia and North Korea are unfounded and unsubstantiated ... Russia is responsible for fulfilling its international obligations, including Security Council resolutions. This does not prevent us from deepening traditional relations of friendship and cooperation with our neighbors, including North Korea," Zakharova was quoted as saying by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

She mentioned that the US and Japan, echoing the accusations against Russia at a G7 summit in Tokyo, lacked investigative authority. She further accused the US and its "satellite states" of breaching international standards and UN Security Council resolutions by supplying weapons to Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, the DPRK Foreign Ministry said in a publicized statement that the relations between Russia and the DPRK would grow stronger in the future. It further warned of a "powerful and coordinated response" against the US if it intervenes to disrupt regional stability.

"Relations of friendship and cooperation between two countries - Korea and Russia, striving for independence, peace, and friendship, will unshakably strengthen and develop, and any attempts by the United States and its satellites aimed at disrupting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region will face a powerful and coordinated response from independent sovereign states," the statement said.

The statement conveyed that the US administration ought to adapt to the "evolving dynamics of Korean-Russian relations."

In October, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited the DPRK, following Kim Jong Un's trip to Russia in September and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu's visit to Pyongyang in July.

During Kim's September visit, he toured the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aviation plant named after Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and held discussions with President Vladimir Putin.

Putin described the talks as "highly productive," emphasizing the open exchange of views on East Asian affairs and bilateral relations.