United Nations (Reuters) – 02/08/2022. 06:13
US calls on North Korea to stop funding its nuclear and missile programs
- The United States called on North Korea on Monday to stop funding its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and to prioritize the needs of its own people
- Russia and China have blamed the sanctions for worsening the humanitarian situation in the stricken Asian country
- An excerpt from a confidential UN report said the humanitarian situation in North Korea “continues to deteriorate”.
called the United States North Korea on Monday to cut funding for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and prioritize the needs of its people, with Russia and China blaming sanctions for worsening the humanitarian situation in the stricken Asian nation.
Russia highlighted the sanctions at the United Nations Security Council as part of its presidency of the 15-member council in February. However, diplomats said that Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, was unable to preside over the meeting because he had tested positive for coronavirus.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas Greenfield said: “We call for a republic North Korea To demonstrate its commitment to the well-being of its people by respecting human rights, halting funding of the illegal weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile program, and prioritizing the needs of its own people – the vulnerable North Koreans.”
In November, Russia and China revived a 2019 effort to ease UN sanctions on North Korea in what they described as an effort to improve the humanitarian situation. The move found little support or participation among council members, so China and Russia did not put it to a vote.
“If the council has to think about ordinary Koreans and not just about geopolitics, then this proposal requires support,” Russia’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky told the council. “We firmly believe that the Security Council sanctions apparatus requires a strong dose of humanity,” he added.
An excerpt from a confidential United Nations report seen by Reuters on Saturday said the humanitarian situation in North Korea “continues to deteriorate.” This may be mainly due to Pyongyang’s lockdown of the country due to the coronavirus, the report said.
Greenfield said she was concerned about attempts to “criticize and delegitimize” unilateral sanctions as illegal and that the United States categorically rejected this position.
