China, Russia defend North Korea veto at UN meeting

Addis Ababa, June 9, 2022 (FBC) – China and Russia have defended their vetoes of a strongly backed US resolution that would have imposed tough new sanctions on North Korea, speaking at a first-of-its kind United Nations General Assembly meeting.

Wednesday’s debate was held under new rules requiring the General Assembly to examine any veto wielded in the Security Council by one of its five permanent members.

Close allies China and Russia reiterated their opposition to more sanctions, blaming the United States for rising tensions on the Korean peninsula and insisting that what’s needed now is dialogue between North Korea and Joe Biden’s administration.

Nearly 70 countries signed up to speak at the open meeting, which General Assembly President Abdalla Shahid hailed as making the UN more efficient and accountable.

“It is with good reason that it has been coined as ‘revolutionary’ by several world leaders I have recently met,” he said.

A united Security Council imposed sanctions after North Korea’s first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and tightened them over the years in a total of 10 resolutions seeking — so far unsuccessfully — to rein in its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and cut off funding.

A 13-2 Security Council vote on May 26 marked a first serious division among its five veto-wielding permanent members — China, Russia, United States, Britain and France — on a North Korea sanctions resolution. TRT World