ID :
55289
Tue, 04/14/2009 - 09:47
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/55289
The shortlink copeid
UNSC adopts statement condemning N. Korea's rocket launch: diplomats
NEW YORK, April 13 (Yonhap) -- The 15-member United Nations Security Council Monday adopted a statement condemning North Korea's rocket launch last week and calling for implementation of existing sanctions under a previous resolution, diplomats said.
The council adopted the statement immediately after a full session was convened
at 3 p.m., they said.
Earlier in the day, diplomats said that no objections were raised to a draft
circulated Saturday.
"I understand none of the 15 members of the Security Council has expressed
opposition to the draft statement as of noon today," a diplomat said.
Six major players of the Security Council, including five veto-wielding permanent
members and Japan, circulated a draft statement Saturday in a compromise between
the U.S. and its allies and North Korea's two closest friends, China and Russia.
China and Russia have been sympathetic to North Korea's claim that the April 5
rocket launch was part of its space program to orbit a satellite, while the U.S.
and its allies consider that as a disguised ballistic missile test.
The draft statement condemns the rocket launch, bans any further ballistic
missile launches and demands Pyongyang return to six-party talks on its
denuclearization.
It also calls on a Security Council sanctions committee to come up with a list of
North Korean companies and personnel by the end of this month so they can be
subjected to financial and arms sanctions under Resolution 1718.
The resolution, adopted after North Korea's ballistic and nuclear tests in 2006,
has not been implemented due to lack of proper implementation measures.
Controversy, however, lingers over whether the council's presidential statement
is legally binding despite strong wording.
Denouncing the U.S. government for its failure to get a resolution, former U.S.
Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton has described a presidential statement as
merely "an opinion."
In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood disagreed.
"As far as we're concerned, it is binding," he said. "It'll be incumbent upon
Security Council members, other members of the international community to do what
we need to do with regard to North Korea: use all of our tools available to try
to convince the North to come back to the table and continue the process of
denuclearization."
The council adopted the statement immediately after a full session was convened
at 3 p.m., they said.
Earlier in the day, diplomats said that no objections were raised to a draft
circulated Saturday.
"I understand none of the 15 members of the Security Council has expressed
opposition to the draft statement as of noon today," a diplomat said.
Six major players of the Security Council, including five veto-wielding permanent
members and Japan, circulated a draft statement Saturday in a compromise between
the U.S. and its allies and North Korea's two closest friends, China and Russia.
China and Russia have been sympathetic to North Korea's claim that the April 5
rocket launch was part of its space program to orbit a satellite, while the U.S.
and its allies consider that as a disguised ballistic missile test.
The draft statement condemns the rocket launch, bans any further ballistic
missile launches and demands Pyongyang return to six-party talks on its
denuclearization.
It also calls on a Security Council sanctions committee to come up with a list of
North Korean companies and personnel by the end of this month so they can be
subjected to financial and arms sanctions under Resolution 1718.
The resolution, adopted after North Korea's ballistic and nuclear tests in 2006,
has not been implemented due to lack of proper implementation measures.
Controversy, however, lingers over whether the council's presidential statement
is legally binding despite strong wording.
Denouncing the U.S. government for its failure to get a resolution, former U.S.
Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton has described a presidential statement as
merely "an opinion."
In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood disagreed.
"As far as we're concerned, it is binding," he said. "It'll be incumbent upon
Security Council members, other members of the international community to do what
we need to do with regard to North Korea: use all of our tools available to try
to convince the North to come back to the table and continue the process of
denuclearization."
