Russian lawmaker says N Korea doesn't want escalation after meeting envoy

MOSCOW A Russian lawmaker who met North Korea's ambassador to Russia said on Thursday that Pyongyang did not want to escalate tensions with the United States over its missile programme but did not fear war, the Interfax news agency reported. Interfax cited Konstantin Kosachyov, head of the upper house of parliament's foreign affairs committee, as saying:"From the North Korean side, it was confirmed that North Korea is not interested in escalating the conflict let alone in the start of military action, but also that it is not afraid of a war." (REUTERS)