Russian Senator Ozerov proposes appointing UN special envoy for North Korea
MOSCOW. April 29 (Interfax) - It is necessary to resume the six-party talks on the North Korean problem and appoint a UN special representative for North Korea similar to the UN special envoy for Syria, Russian Federation Council defense and security committee head Viktor Ozerov said.
"There is Special Representative for Syria Staffan de Mistura. Possibly, there is a need to appoint a special envoy for the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] so that this person will start shuttle diplomacy between North Korea, Russia, China and America. For this to happen, North Korea's readiness is certainly needed, but if there is a UN Security Council resolution and if such a person is determined, it will be at least some step in this situation," Ozerov told Interfax on Saturday.
It is necessary to return to the six-nation talks and "start doing something," he said.
"What is happening now is like some dialogue between a deaf person and a mute person. We have not heard so far what North Korea would want from its neighbors in the region and from the U.S. We have not heard what these six countries have been proposing, except that it is necessary to implement UNSC resolutions and not to carry out tests of either missiles or nuclear weapons. The political and diplomatic path should gain some specifics," he said.
"It is necessary to look for approach routes, but what is happening now is mere persuading," he said.