The United States and United
Kingdom as well as their allies have given conditions for peaceful resolution
of the ongoing conflict over North Korea’s nuclear threats.
The two countries gave the
conditions at a high-level meeting on North Korea, attended by Ministers of
Foreign Affairs of the 15-Member UN Security Council on Friday in New York.
This was just as North Korea
reportedly launched another missile test on Friday as a Security Council’s
meeting chaired by the US got underway at the UN.
The high-level meeting was chaired
by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to end the country’s Presidency of the
Council for the Month of April 2017.
Tillerson said: “For the past 20
years, well-intentioned diplomatic efforts to halt these programs have failed.
“It is only by first dismantling
them that there can be peace, stability, and economic prosperity for all of
Northeast Asia.
“With each successive detonation
and missile test, North Korea pushes Northeast Asia and the world closer to
instability and broader conflict.
“The threat of a North Korean
nuclear attack on Seoul, or Tokyo, is real.
“And it is likely only a matter of
time before North Korea develops the capability to strike the US mainland.
“Indeed, the DPRK has repeatedly
claimed it plans to conduct such a strike.
“Given that rhetoric, the United
States cannot idly stand by. Nor can other members of this council who are
within striking distance of North Korean missiles”.
The US envoy warned that there was
no reason to think that North Korea would change its behaviour under the
current multilateral sanctions framework.
“For too long, the international
community has been reactive in addressing North Korea. Those days must come to
an end.
“Failing to act now on the most
pressing security issue in the world may bring catastrophic consequences.
“We have said this before and it
bears repeating: the policy of strategic patience is over. Additional patience
will only mean acceptance of a nuclear North Korea.
“The more we bid our time, the
sooner we will run out of it,” Tillerson warned.
He added: “Lastly, as we have said
before, all options for responding to future provocation must remain on the
table.
“Diplomatic and financial levers of
power will be backed up by a willingness to counteract North Korean aggression
with military action if necessary”.
On its part, the UK, through
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, called for a change of approach by the
Security Council, towards North Korea.
“This Council must be united in its
demand that the present course cannot continue and Britain is proud today to
have joined its allies to lead the enforcement of sanctions and seek a peaceful
solution.
“We urge other partners with direct
influence on North Korea to use their leverage to the full, with the aim of
easing tensions and ensuring compliance with the expressed will of the UN.”
The UK called on Russia and China
and other Member States to use whatever influence they possess to restrain
North Korea and guide its leaders towards a peaceful settlement.
“Britain stands alongside our
allies in making clear that North Korea must obey the UN and halt its nuclear
weapons and ballistic missile programmes, disarming in a complete, verifiable
and irreversible manner.
“Only then can this Council be
assured of the peace and security of the region – and only then can the people
of North Korea have the chance of a better future.
“But the catastrophic effects of a
North Korean nuclear strike outweigh any economic benefits.
“We must be willing to face the
hard truths and make hard choices right now to prevent disastrous outcomes in
the future.
“For years, North Korea has been
dictating the terms of its dangerous course of action; it is time for us to
retake control of the situation,” Johnson said.
Other members of the Security
Council that supported US and UK included Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Italy,
Sweden and Ukraine. (NAN)
0 comments:
Post a Comment