Deputy foreign ministers of China, North Korea, and Russia on Wednesday issued a joint communiqué reiterating the strong ties between the three nations and calling for a loosening of sanctions against the DPRK.

In a statement released Wednesday by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs following a round of tripartite meetings in Moscow, the three ministers also expressed their support for ongoing talks between the DPRK and both the U.S. and South Korea.

“Noting the important steps taken by the DPRK in the direction of denuclearization, the parties considered it necessary to start a timely review by the UN Security Council