US says UN Security Council silence on North Korea is dangerous

UNITED NATIONS: The United States proposed on Monday (Feb 20) that the United Nations Security Council condemn North Korea’s ballistic missile launches and encourage Pyongyang to engage in diplomacy, warning that the 15-member body’s failure to respond had become dangerous.

China and Russia oppose any further action by the Security Council, arguing that putting further pressure on North Korea would not be constructive. The pair vetoed a US-led push to impose more UN sanctions on North Korea in May last year.

“The reality is that those who shield the DPRK (North Korea) from the consequences of its escalatory missile tests put the Asian region and entire world at risk of conflict,” said US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

“The council’s lack of action is worse than shameful. It is dangerous,” she told the Security Council, proposing that it adopt a formal presidential statement – one step below a resolution – to condemn North Korea’s action and urge diplomacy.

Such statements have to be agreed by consensus. The last time the council took action on North Korea was when it adopted a resolution to strengthen sanctions in December 2017 over Pyongyang’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programmes.