Germany urges China, Russia to rein in North Korea

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany on Wednesday called on China and Russia to dissuade Pyongyang from pursuing policies that would lead to a military escalation on the Korean peninsula after North Korea said it was considering a missile strike on Guam. "The goal of the German government is to avoid a further military escalation and to settle the conflict in the North Pacific peacefully," said government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer. "China and Russia have a special responsibility to do everything they can to dissuade North Korea from a path of escalation," she added. Earlier North Korea said it was considering plans for a missile strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam after U.S. President Donald Trump told the North that any threat to his country would be met with "fire and fury". (Reporting by Joseph Nasr and Madeline Chambers)