Russia, China spar with the US over sanctions on North Korea

Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA, June 8 – Photo: REUTERS

Russia’s and China’s two vetoes on sanctions against North Korea have divided the United Nations Security Council, which has imposed multiple sanctions on Pyongyang since 2006.

Explaining this, Chinese diplomat Wu Jianjian said that the draft resolution initiated by the US was “completely unreasonable and justifiable”. “Continuing to increase sanctions on North Korea only further makes the possibility of reaching a political solution,” Wu said.

China’s ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, also criticized that tensions on the Korean peninsula had “evolved to where it is today, mainly due to US policy”.

At the meeting, Chinese and Russian diplomats urged the West to stop blaming North Korea, lift sanctions and increase humanitarian assistance to Pyongyang.

“Their explanation for the veto is incomplete, unreliable and unconvincing. Their veto is not in the service of our collective security and safety,” Reuters news agency quoted him as saying. US diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis speaks at a meeting on June 8, US time.

Washington criticized Russia and China for putting each other’s strategic relationship above world security.

DeLaurentis affirmed that sanctions are in response to North Korea’s actions, and the US is always ready for dialogue with Pyongyang without any conditions.

The United States and its European allies, South Korea and Japan, say North Korea’s recent weapons tests violate UN resolutions. Washington also warned that Pyongyang was preparing to conduct a nuclear test.

To date, Russia is the country using the veto power the most, 144 times, compared with the US, 86 times. Britain used its veto 30 times, China 19 times, France 18 times.