The recent rocket launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has raised global concerns, but Russia believes that sanctions against the DPRK would be "counterproductive", Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

"We are definitely concerned by the rocket launch and believe it does not offer grounds for stabilizing the situation in the region," the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Lavrov as saying.

"We also believe that any threat of sanctions would be counterproductive," Lavrov said.

Moscow will not alter its stance concerning proposed sanctions against Pyongyang, the top Russian diplomat said.

Russia's position was reflected in all the consensus decisions that have been made in recent years on ways to resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, Lavrov said.

"One needs to focus on fulfilling the existing decisions of the UN Security Council," he said.

Lavrov said Tuesday that hasty decisions concerning the launch should be avoided.

The DPRK said Sunday it successfully launched a rocket carrying a communications satellite.

Lavrov said the technical parameters of the launch are currently being examined. "This work continues in our country and in other states," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2009)