(United Nations) The United States on Monday directly accused China and Russia of “encouraging” North Korean missile strikes by preventing a united response from the UN Security Council on the issue.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused “three countries” of “refusing to engage in good faith diplomacy regarding this threat”: North Korea “which continues to ignoring multiple offers of dialogue” and “Russia and China, whose obstructionism in the Council encourages North Korea to launch ballistic missiles with impunity”.
“How many times does North Korea have to violate the obligations of Security Council resolutions before China and Russia stop serving as a shield for the North Korean regime?” Council meeting.
China and Russia vetoed a resolution imposing new sanctions on Pyongyang last May and no Council resolution or statement has been adopted since despite several missile launches by North Korea, the latest dated this weekend.
The Security Council’s last demonstrations of unity on the North Korean dossier date back to 2017.
Under the administration of Donald Trump, the United States had unanimously passed three resolutions in the Security Council imposing three rounds of heavy economic sanctions on Pyongyang after missile and nuclear tests.
In a joint statement, nine Council members (including the United States, France and Japan), plus South Korea, on Monday denounced “an unprecedented number” of missile launches that “threaten not only the region but world peace and stability”.
“North Korea is testing the Council’s resolve and raison d’être, and the Council must act,” they added.
China and Russia reject responsibility for the shootings at the United States, pointing in particular to joint military exercises with South Korea.