Attempts to isolate North Korea will escalate tensions on Korean Peninsula

Aggressive rhetoric and threats towards North Korea, let alone attempts to isolate the country, will cause further escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula, which by no means foster regional and global stability, Igor Ivanov, Russia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, said as addressing reporters Monday.

He said Russia's principled stance on the problem has been widely known. "We advocate a nuclear free status of the Korean peninsula and further dialogue between North and South Koreas," said the minister.

However, Mr Ivanov regretted Pyongyang's decision to oust IAEA inspectors and start preparing its nuclear complex's operation free of any international control whatsoever."