Security Council resolutions still blocked by China, Russia

United States Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks during a meeting of the Security Council at UN headquarters on Monday [AP/YONHAP]

A UN Security Council meeting in New York on Monday concluded without a resolution on North Korea’s recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch, as veto-wielding members China and Russia continued to engage in a blame game.

“The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the DPRK’s blatant, brazen November 7th launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile,” said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, referring to North Korea by the acronym for its full name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Noting that the ICBM launched by Pyongyang last Friday was one of 63 ballistic missiles launched this year, Thomas-Greenfield asked, “How many more missiles must get launched before we respond as a unified council?”

The council meeting on Monday was the 10th this year, all of which concluded without an adoption of a resolution on North Korea’s continued military provocations.

The last resolution put forward at the council by the United States to strengthen sanctions on the North for its military provocations in May was vetoed by Russia and China, the first time since 2006 that a sanctions resolution on the North at the council was vetoed.

“This is the 10th time that we have met without significant actions,” said Thomas-Greenfield. “The reason is simple: two veto wheeling members of the council are enabling and emboldening the DPRK,” she said, referring to China and Russia.

“These two members’ blatant obstructionism put the North East Asian region and the entire world at risk,” she said. “You simply cannot be considered a responsible steward of nuclear weapons if you condone this behavior.”

The Chinese representative at the UN was quick to dismiss a sanctions resolution on the North.

“The Security Council should play a constructive role on this issue and should not always condemn or exert pressure on the DPRK,” said Zhang Jun, China's ambassador to the UN, speaking through an interpreter.

“The U.S. should take the initiative, show sincerity, put forward realistic and feasible proposals, respond positively to the legitimate concerns of the DPRK and turn the dialogue from a formality into a reality as soon as possible,” he added.

Anna Evstigneeva, Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN, said the United States was at fault for recent North Korean provocations.

“The United States and its allies in the region carry out large scale exercises, the DPRK reacts accordingly as expected, and then we meet here to discuss it all,” she said in a speech to the council, speaking through an interpreter.

“In our opinion, the reason for what is happening is clear: Washington's desire to force Pyongyang into unilateral disarmament by implementing sanctions and exerting force,” she said.

Evstigneeva characterized Seoul-Tokyo-Washington discussions on U.S. extended deterrence in the region as “irresponsible discussions... at the leadership level of those countries."

“In this regard, it is obvious that Pyongyang's missile launches are the results of the short-sighted confrontational military activity of the United States being carried on around the DPRK which harms both its partners in the region and the situation in Northeast Asia as a whole,” she said.

The U.S. mission to the UN may put forward a UN Security Council presidential statement instead of a resolution condemning the North’s military provocations.

“The secretary general statement on Friday condemned the DPRK’s intercontinental ballistic missile launch and it reiterated his call for the DPRK to immediately desist from taking any further provocative actions and fully comply with the international obligations under all relevant Security Council resolutions,” said Thomas-Greenfield. “It's time for the Security Council make the same call as the secretary general.”

While not legally binding, presidential statements reflect the consensus of the council, as it needs agreement from all members to be issued.

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]