MOSCOW/LUXEMBOURG (REUTERS, AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday (Oct 16) signed a decree imposing restrictions on North Korea in order to comply with a United Nations Security Council resolution.

The resolution, about special economic measures, was a response to Pyongyang's missiles tests in late 2016.

The EU meanwhile imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea on Monday as part of international efforts to punish the pariah regime for its nuclear and ballistic weapons programmes.

Foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg signed off a new package of measures including a ban on investments in North Korea and on European Union exports of oil to Pyongyang.

Separately, North Korean officials have rejected a proposal to hold direct talks with their South Korean counterparts in St Petersburg, the RIA news agency reported on Monday.

Moscow had called on the two countries, who are both represented at a parliamentary forum in Russia, to use the opportunity to hold direct talks to try to narrow their differences over Pyongyang's missile programme.

But, RIA, citing the head of the North Korean delegation, said Pyongyang had rejected the idea.

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