US Policy Toward N Korea May Trigger 'Catastrophic Consequences' - Russian MP

The consequences of unilateral US actions toward a well-established nuclear power, that North Korea is, could be catastrophic, Konstantin Kosachev, the head of a Russian parliamentary committee on international affairs said Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Thursday, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the CNN that the United States did not want to "get back into the six-party talks" on the North Korean nuclear program. US State Secretary Rex Tillerson said on the following day that the United States' policy of strategic patience toward North Korea reached its limit.

"The consequences may be catastrophic, especially, when you are dealing with nuclear powers," Kosachev said, commenting on the US ambassador's statement.

The Russian lawmaker added that the US approach toward resolving such such complex international issues such as Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs raises concerns not only in Russia, but in other countries as well.

The six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program via negotiations were launched in 2013. The negotiations involved Russia, the United States, China, Japan, North Korea and South Korea, but reached a stalemate Pyongyang after withdrew in 2009. North Korea has since carried out several nuclear and ballistic missile tests.