Sputnik News- Russian Foreign Ministry comments on Merkel's proposal to use Iran's experience in the situation with North Korea.




MOSCOW (Sputnik)�� Moscow is looking at�German Chancellor Angela Merkel's proposal with�interest, but�direct parallels between�the situations are almost impossible, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Sputnik on�Wednesday.
"Of course, we take these proposals with�interest. A creative look and approach to�the situation are very much in�demand," Ryabkov said when asked how Moscow assessed Merkel's statement.


German Chancellor Angela Merkel has repeatedly�warned against�an escalation�on�the Korean Peninsula amid�US President Donald Trump's war of�words with�North Korean leader Kim Jong Un earlier this month.

During�her recent phone conversation with�Russian President Vladimir Putin, Merkel reaffirmed that the Korean peninsula�crisis�can only be resolved through�negotiation. She also called�for�the resumption of�talks between�all sides involved in�the conflict.
"But, saying this, I cannot but�also say that complete and direct parallels between�the two situations are probably already impossible, because the DPRK, unlike�Iran, is a country that has already really mastered nuclear weapons technologies at�least to�a degree that allows Pyongyang to�test nuclear explosive devices and move in�the direction of�constant improvement of�delivery systems in�the form of�ballistic missiles," he said.


Iran's ballistic missile program does not demonstrate the results that North Korea has shown recently, Sergey Ryabkov stated.
"Iran's missile program, whatever the colleagues in�the West say, is largely focused on�the space industry, and the military missile and ballistic program and the development of�this technology in�Iran still did not demonstrate and does not demonstrate the results that the DPRK has recently shown," Ryabkov said.


He added that Moscow offers models to�resolve the situation around�the DPRK both jointly with�partners, including South Korea, and independently.
"We, for�our part, and together with�the PRC, both alone and in�contact with�other colleagues, we are doing everything to�offer some models of�settlement. And depending on�whether these models work, these proposals will be introduced into�the dialogue and the political process, and depending on�this, then, probably, the question of�the optimal format will be solved," Ryabkov said.


Russian Deputy Foreign Minister also stated that Moscow will welcome any proposals for�settling the situation around�North Korea, which do not result in�sanctions and Pyongyang's response.

"In general, any proposals that do not reproduce this vicious logic of�sanctions�� Pyongyang's new provocative actions�� counter-sanctions�� the next provocative actions by�the DPRK, any proposals that oppose to�this logic something different, are very necessary and in�demand," Ryabkov said assessing the prospects for�German Chancellor Angela Merkel's proposal about "transferring" the Iran talks experience onto�North Korean settlement.

"From this point of�view, we welcome them," he said.