Lavrov calls reports of negotiations on Korean issue without Russia rumors

MOSCOW, April 10. /TASS/. Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi resolutely refuted rumors of Beijing’s initiative to hold talks on the Korean Peninsula without participation of Russia and Japan during his visit to Moscow on April 5, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Tuesday. "This issue emerged several weeks ago as rumors," he said. "On April 5, when Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi was here on a visit, we directly asked our Chinese friends in a friendly and partner manner whether it was true. He resolutely refuted these rumors and called them another attempt to catch fish in muddy waters." "So, nothing like that has ever happened, and our Chinese colleagues assured us they have no such plans," Lavrov said. North and South Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the US are taking part in six-party negotiations on the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. The talks were suspended in 2008 at Pyongyang’s initiative. When tensions escalated on the peninsula a number of countries, including Russia and South Korea, supported the renewal of dialogue in this format. Earlier, Japanese mass media released information citing diplomatic sources that China suggested the US renewing the talks without participation of representatives from Moscow and Tokyo. Read more