“Russian side welcomes positive developments in the situation on the Korean Peninsula”: Amb. Timonin
Russia Diplomatic Service Day 2018, held before the 2018
PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, served as an opportunity
to welcome from the standpoint of the Russian side positive
developments in the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
Such facts were apparent by the welcome remarks of Russia
Amb. Alexander Timonin in a reception to mark Russia
Diplomatic Service Day 2018 held on Feb. 6th evening
at the Grand Hall, Embassy of the Russian Fedfeation which
says that inter-Korean contacts, held in January this year at various levels,
resulted with the achievement of important agreements on
joint participation of the ROK and North Korea in Winter
Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.
Russia Amb. Alexander Timonin (center) posing with guests for the camera to mark Russia Diplomatic Service Day 2018. (Courtesy: Embassy of the Russian Federation) |
Timonin added further: “We hope that their implementation
will serve to de-escalate tensions in Korea and ensure peace in Northeast Asia.
We do believe that all interested parties will support the steps
of Seoul and Pyongyang aimed at the resumption of dialogue.
For its part, Russia is ready to render all possible assistance to this process.”
Traditionally on this Russia Diplomatic Service Day, the Russian
diplomatic service summarizes its work during the last year,
outlines tasks for the future, inviting Diplomatic Corps. to the
Embassy reception to share such results as well as tasks for further cooperation.
Russia Amb. Timonin (left) chatting with Vietnam Amb. Nguyen Vu Tu during the fete.. (Courtesy: Embassy of the Russian Federation) |
Without exception this year as well, the attendances of
former CIS countries ambassadors were conspicuous including
Belarus Amb. Andrei Popkov with his spouse, Turkmenistan
Amb. Myrat Mammetalyyev with his spouse, Azerbaijan Amb.
Ramzi Teymurov with his spouse, in addition to the presence
of India Amb. Vikram Kumar Doraiswami, Bangladesh Amb.
Abida Islam, Sri Lanka Amb. Manisha Gunasekera, South African
Amb. Nozuko Gloria Bam etc.
First off, Timonin conceded that despite complicated political
and economic situation in the world, the last year has become
fruitful for the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea,
which marked the 27th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic ties. The Russian-Korean summit held in Vladivostok in September 2017, contacts
of the heads of foreign ministries and the leaders of legislative
bodies strengthened our bilateral partnership relations and outlined cooperation’s benchmarks for the upcoming years, he described.
Russia Amb. Timonin encouraging Russian athletes who are participating in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, at the Russia Sports House installed in PyeongChang. (Courtesy: Embassy of the Russian Federation) |
Touching upon trade side between the two countries,
Amb. Timonin said: “The Republic of Korea is still our large
and prospective economic partner in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2017 our bilateral trade turnover amounted
to 18.9 billion dollars, having increased by 41.4% as compared
to 2016.” As the key areas of mutually beneficial economic
cooperation with South Korea, he named the implementation
of large-scale investment projects in the European part of the Russian
Federation, as well as the creation of new industries in Siberia
and the Russian Far East with the active use of advantages for
foreign business within the Territory of Advanced Development
and the Free Port of Vladivostok.
In this regard, we highly appreciate the efforts of the President
of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Mr. Moon Jae-in, who put forward the concept of "nine bridges", envisaging
the intensification of economic interaction with Russia in such
areas as gas industry, development of railway communications,
creation of port infrastructure, electric power industry,
development of the Northern Sea Route, shipbuilding, agricultural
production and fisheries, Timonin stressed.
Russia Amb. Timonin and Repv. Song(right), front row, watching performances during the function. (Courtesy: Embassy of the Russian Fderation) |
The Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea fruitfully
interact not only in the economy, but also in the world arena,
within the UN and other international organizations. In that
regard, Timonin expected we are looking forward to further
joint work aimed at the resolving of acute global issues,
including those related to the stabilization of the situation in
Northeast Asia and the solution of the nuclear problem of the
Korean peninsula.
The two States condemned nuclear tests of the DPRK, which
exacerbated tensions in the region, supporting the relevant
resolutions of the UN Security Council 2371 and 2397, however
Timonin pointed out the Russian side believes that the
continued pulling of US strategic forces and weapons to the
Korean peninsula, including large-scale joint exercises of the United States and the ROK, also had
very negative consequences for regional stability and security,
revealing a little delicate standpoints each other.
The deployment of THAAD missile defense system on the
territory of the Republic of Korea as well as the demonstration
of "military muscles" on the Korean peninsula greatly narrows
the possibilities of normalizing the situation in the region
and establishing inter-Korean dialogue., he pointed out