Monday’s U.N. Security Council meeting saw the U.S., China, and Russia fight about who was to blame for North Korea’s scores of ballistic missile tests and nuclear weapons program.
The 15-member council discussed Pyongyang’s Thursday launch of its biggest Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile. Since 2006, the U.N. has sanctioned North Korea for its missile and nuclear programs.
China and Russia criticized US-South Korean military drills for upsetting Pyongyang, while Washington accused Beijing and Moscow of encouraging North Korea by preventing harsher sanctions.
“Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is very concerned over the differences that have stopped the international community from acting on this subject,” a senior U.N. source said at the meeting.
Russia’s deputy U.N. Ambassador Anna Evstigneeva called the U.S. and South Korean military activities “unprecedented,” while China’s Geng Shuang called them defensive drills and accused them of escalating tensions.
“Routine, long-standing exercises. They only defend… The U.S. doesn’t hate the DPRK “stated U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Pyongyang’s policy has split the council for years. The veto powers of Russia, China, the US, Britain, and France want fewer sanctions. Geng claimed it was a friendly gesture to foster detente.
Thomas-Greenfield said easing U.N. sanctions would reward Pyongyang “for doing nothing to comply with Security Council decisions.” In addition, she claimed Pyongyang denied North Koreans humanitarian aid.
Russia and China again voiced nuclear worries over AUKUS, a security treaty allowing Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines with the U.S. and the U.K.
The U.S. and U.K. assured the council that AUKUS did not violate the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty.
“Several Council resolutions prohibit North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile development. The AUKUS is unmatched “Britain’s deputy U.N. Ambassador James Kariuki told the council.
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