Following the laughter that greeted US President Donald Trump’s address to the United Nations General Assembly, there was another fraught reception for American diplomacy at the UN yesterday, when Beijing and Moscow openly disagreed with Washington over sanctions on North Korea.
In a UN Security Council meeting chaired by Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State called for continued enforcement of sanctions against North Korea – currently, the most heavily sanctioned nation on earth – even as South Korea and the US engage in active summitry with the nuclear-armed state.
But while Pompeo said UNSC members should “set an example” with sanctions, Russia and China argued that “positive developments” in North Korea should be rewarded with eased measures, Reuters reported from New York.
“Enforcement of Security Council sanctions must continue vigorously and without fail until we realize the fully, final, verified denuclearization,” Pompeo said, according to the agency.
China, Russia challenge US line
However, Chinese delegate Wang Yi said that UNSC resolutions include provisions for the modification of sanctions if North Korea comes into compliance, and “given the positive developments,” China believed the council “needs to consider invoking in due course this provision to encourage [North Korea] and other relevant parties to move denuclearization further ahead.”
Russia’s veteran Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov supported China. “Any negotiation is a two-way street,” he said. “Steps by [North Korea] towards gradual disarmament should be followed by the easing of sanctions.”
While China, North Korea and Russia have suggested a phased denuclearization, with incentives granted to Pyongyang at each step, Washington’s position is that the sanctions must remain in place until full denuclearization is achieved. That stems from the frequently expressed belief inside the Trump administration that “maximum pressure” is what forced North Korea to come out of its shell and engage the international community this year.
Beijing and Moscow cannot lift the UNSC sanctions without the agreement of Washington, which like other sitting members of the council, holds a veto. But while UNSC sanctions are binding upon member states, the UN lacks any actual mechanism to compel members to enforce them. This has been a source of frustration to the US, which has accused Russia of ignoring the sanctions, and has also suggested that China may be turning a blind eye to business across its border with North Korea.
Now, the difference of opinion between China and Russia and the US on the issue is in the open.
Next summit in Seoul
Meanwhile, there is an upbeat mood in Seoul toward Pyongyang, following a high-profile summit in the North Korean capital last week. The three-day summit was marked by remarkably positive optics in terms of the relationship between leaders of the two Koreas, and another summit is planned for December in the South Korean capital. That will be historic: No North Korean leader has ever visited Seoul before.
As a result of the various cross-border good vibes that have been reverberating since the beginning of the year, there are rising hopes for imminent inter-Korean economic engagement in some political, business and media circles in South Korea.
However, Seoul has been careful to keep Washington fully appraised of all its moves, and Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, was in lock-step with her US ally at the UNSC meeting.
“We are committed to continuing to work with the international community to ensure that the council’s sanctions are faithfully implemented, even as we continue to engage North Korea to facilitate substantial progress towards complete denuclearization,” she said, according to Yonhap newswire.
Pompeo off to Pyongyang soon
Pompeo’s chairmanship of the UNSC meeting came one day after he met the North Korean Foreign Minister, Ri Yong-ho, in New York.
Pompeo will fly to Pyongyang next month for talks on a denuclearization process that North Korea and the US agreed to in general terms during their Singapore summit in June. However, that summit’s written agreement lacked details, commitments and timelines, and in the months since, while both North Korea and the US have made a number of unilateral moves, there has been no progress on a process that both sides agreed on.
Currently, North Korea is demanding a peace agreement to replace the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War, while the United States is demanding a full list of the North’s nuclear assets and facilities, to be followed by inspection, dismantlement and verification protocols. This apparent lack of common ground suggests that Pompeo’s Pyongyang trip will be challenging.
Even so, there are some positive signs.
In addition to kick-starting denuclearization, his mission is expected to include arranging a second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. An informed source told foreign reporters in Seoul this week that the summit is also likely to take place in Asia.
Despite the lack of progress on denuclearization and a peace treaty, both leaders continue to praise each other, and Trump has stated that the channels of communication between the two capitals are busily occupied.
A key action to watch for is will the two Koreas link up their railroads, even though the US is against it.
China and Russia is pushing for positive momentum towards peace and reconciliation.
US is more concerned about power play.
Funny US is more hardline stance on denuclearize NK than states that are its direct neighbors.
Beijing and Moscow cannot lift the UNSC sanctions without the agreement of Washington, which like other sitting members of the council, holds a veto. But while UNSC sanctions are binding upon member states, the UN lacks any actual mechanism to compel members to enforce them.
Is China and Russia looking for peace for Myanmar Rohyangas or
looking for Myanmar resources or caring for atrocity and genocide and anhilation of Rohyangas from this planet earth.
US has become a country of sanctions and hatred. No one cares. Money itself cannot make one great or happy.That is why the rest of the world is laughing at them.
Russia and China should have been savvy enough to realize that peace in Korea does not conform to Washington’s geopolitical interests and insisted on a provision in the UN resolution that the sanctions would need to be renewed periodically, similar to the EU sanctions against Russia.
Looks like the end of NK sanctions to me . . .
Exactly, once the link up is done and it builds up from there, DPRK will and South Korea will be a powerhouse whose will and true stature cannot be denied. They unlike, let’s say, Dominican Republic and Haiti are ONE people, ONE language, ONE culture. Once they unite at least economically, the two halves will truly flourish and that is a great thing. Let them keep their two capitals and two systems for as long as they wish, it’s up to them to decide how to slow or fast to go in this new phase. God Bless….
The logical follow-up would include Trump, Moon and Kim at the December Summit to reach an agreement.
China and Russia should carry out trade, investments and other exchange activities with North Korea like they do with other countries and be damned with thé UNSC resolutions. After all, USA too has violated the UNSC resolution with regards to the Iran nuclear deal. If USA wants to sanction China and Russia because of that, so be it.
The UNSC resolutions include provisions for the modification of sanctions if North Korea comes into compliance. China. Russia and South Korea have the right to implement this provision.
USA is an arms merchant of death profiteer and is not sincere for peace and denuclearisation. Its blocking actions are NOT in accordance with the UNSC resolution!
IF THE NORTH GIVES UP ITS NUCLEAR ARMS THEN THE MILITARY WILL BE TORN DOWN AS THE US DID IN IRAQ AFTER THEY DESTROYED IRAQ. AND LOOK TO WHERE IRAQ IS TODAY A SHAMBLES .IF I WERE KIM I WOULD BE VERY WEARY OF MOONS JESTURES .AS THE US OWNS HIM AND MAY BE DOING A TROJAN HORSE FOR THE US. WITHOUT NUKES THE NORTH IS A SITTING DUCKK. NEVER EVER TRUST THE U.S ASK GAHDAHFI OR SADDAM IF YOU COULD BUT THE US MURDERED BOTH AFER THEY DID GIVE THEIR NUKES UP. SIC SEMPRE TYRANUS !!! MR TRUMP AND THE US!!!
Nurun Nabi, Rohyangas problem is an Anglo creation, East India Company, British Raj, CIA and NED are the perpetrators, ask the British, American and Indian to take their responsibilities and accept Rohyangas as refugees to show their remorse. Ask anybody else to pay price for the Anglo’s wrongdoing is simply moronic, illogical and unreasonable. Australia is the nearest port you can send Rohyangas to go.
Why China and Russia
is keeping their mouth shut on Myanmar Rohyanga genocide rape and murder atrocity.
Can China and Russia push for a humane momentum for the life and death issue of Myanmar Rohyangas.
Joe Wong , Joe, are you reasonable in killing Rohyangas or your Min Aung Hlaing is is solely responsible in the killing and rape of Rohyangas.
Now Myanmar has become a country of genocide with the green light of China.
Now there is un-peace for Myanmar Rohyangas.
That will make China happy to get more benifit out of
Min Aung Hlaing.
Nurun Nabi NK and SK were assisted in reconcilliation partially because they now have leaders that are willing to do wholeheartedly give it a try. Thats pre-condition.
Are such leaders available for Rohyangas, Myammar, Bangladesh? Myammar consider Rohyangas illegal alien residents and Bangladesh is of mostly similar attitude. As for Rohyangas…do they even have a "leader"?
Russia and China can do a lot to help, but currently lack of willing and competent leadership in the 3 mentioned parties are the problem.
There is actually a mechanism for the US to compel members to enforce sanctions over NK. It us by imposing sanctions to them also.
There is actually a mechanism for the US to compel members to enforce sanctions over NK. It us by imposing sanctions to them also.
Believe the world would be better-off with a denuclearized North Korea, same with Iran. The other best alternative is War. North Korea is targetting a nuclear strike on the US mainland for supporting South Korea, while Iran is planning the same to the US for supporting Israel.
Believe the world would be better-off with a denuclearized North Korea, same with Iran. The other best alternative is War. North Korea is targetting a nuclear strike on the US mainland for supporting South Korea, while Iran is planning the same to the US for supporting Israel.
Another meachanism is the DRONES. IF china and russia doesn’t stop smuggling to NK, drones will stop them. Don’t test TRUMP’S temper. ????????
Another meachanism is the DRONES. IF china and russia doesn’t stop smuggling to NK, drones will stop them. Don’t test TRUMP’S temper. ????????
Can Russia and China also take up with the UNSC or look into the ongoing ethnic cleansing or genocide of Melanesian West Papua’s by Indonesia. The US, Australia and its Western Allies are silent about it while corporate America and Australia are plundering the natural resources of West Papua.