Tillerson stresses urgency of implementing U.N. sanctions on N.K.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart Wednesday, stressing the urgency of implementing United Nations sanctions against North Korea, the State Department said.

In the phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Tillerson discussed last week's meeting in Vancouver that dealt with the issue of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the department said in a statement.

Russia was not among the countries invited to the gathering.

Tillerson "stressed the urgent need for all parties to implement UNSCRs related to North Korea," the statement said, referring to United Nations Security Council resolutions that punish Pyongyang for its nuclear and ballistic missile testing.

Russia, one of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council, backed all three resolutions that were adopted last year in the wake of Pyongyang's sixth nuclear test and three intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July and November.

The sanctions seek to increase pressure on Pyongyang to abandon its weapons development by restricting the regime's external trade and cutting off sources of revenue.

hague@yna.co.kr
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