Friday, December 08, 2006

This Afternoon on Tavistock Square

Security Council Fails in North Korea Sanctions Bid

Filed Friday, 08 December 2006 18.10 EST

By Rampant I. London

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council failed today to pass a resolution condemning North Korea for its plans to launch a second nuclear test, following a double veto by the United States and the United Kingdom of a joint Chinese-Russian proposal.

The Sino-Russian text had called for global censure of the North Korean moves, and the implementation of fresh sanctions. It sought the immediate return of Pyongyang to the stalled Six Party Talks, and also provided for the appointment of a special UN envoy to maintain communications with the hermit regime.

Most of the non-permanent members of the Security Council had been prepared to support the Sino-Russian text, which also included an amendment by France calling for the holding of multilateral talks to discuss global nuclear disarmament. The US and UK, however, were unwilling to accept that stipulation.

Today’s emergency session came after the announcement on 20 November 2006 by North Korea of its intentions to conduct a second nuclear test, despite mounting international pressure. Earlier, following its first nuclear test on October 9, the UN Security Council had unanimously passed Resolution 1718, which paved the way for a series of sanctions against the government in Pyongyang.

Diplomats and political leaders from the 15 member Council worked for hours on weak coffee and dry cookies but failed to reach a consensus on the right language for the resolution.

Commenting on the day’s dramatic developments, the Russian ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said, “Naturally, we’re very disappointed by the intransigence of the Americans and the British. We believed we had tabled a very good draft text, and it received wide support from many other council delegations.”

“The international community has not been well served by the unilateralist actions of the US and UK,” he added.

John Bolton, the outgoing US ambassador to the UN was not immediately available for comment. Neither was Emyr Jones Parry, his British counterpart.

World attention had been focused on today’s session, with the unexpected presence of Chairman Kim Jong-Il at the debate, who made a few unexpected but incomprehensible interventions into the proceedings. The reclusive North Korean leader is understood to have made very few journeys beyond Asia.

US President George W. Bush also attended the session, although it was not known if both leaders met at the sidelines.

Diplomats at the United Nations said that it was unlikely the Security Council would reconvene soon to discuss the North Korean situation. “Unless North Korea proceeds with an actual second test, it seems likely that the international community will now just sit back passively,” said a senior Western official who requested anonymity.

"We're all awaiting the big bang," he lamented.

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