08.02.2023, 08:37
The Russian Foreign Ministry assessed the chances of adopting a UN resolution on the DPRK
Source: OREANDA-NEWS
OREANDA-NEWS In the current circumstances, the chances of adopting a resolution in the UN Security Council on easing sanctions against the DPRK are quite slim, but Russia will continue to counter attempts by Western countries to "tighten the sanctions stranglehold" on Pyongyang, Pyotr Ilyichev, director of the Department of International Organizations of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
"Given the rejection in Western capitals of any ideas to ease pressure on North Korea against the background of Pyongyang's missile launches, the chances of approval in the UN Security Council of a political and humanitarian resolution - let's be objective – are quite illusory. This does not mean that we will sit idly by. We publicly declare that our initiative is still, as diplomats say, "on the table," actively forming world public opinion against the sanctions "cudgel" that hits ordinary citizens and is useless in achieving peace," Ilyichev said. He stressed that the partial lifting or complete lifting of UN Security Council sanctions against the DPRK would require the adoption of a new resolution. "We talk with our Chinese partners all the time about the need to start such a process. And we are not only talking, but we are offering concrete solutions. For example, we have drafted a special resolution designed to relieve the people of North Korea of the excessive sanctions burden and at the same time stimulate negotiation efforts. Unfortunately, the US and its allies do not want to work with this. Even humanitarian arguments are ignored," Ilyichev said.
According to him, Western countries "do not want to admit the obvious thing: the sanctions did not justify themselves, increased the suffering of ordinary people and only postponed the possibility of resolving the nuclear problem of the Korean peninsula."
"Instead of stopping, thinking and listening to sensible voices, Western representatives are trying to tighten the sanctions stranglehold even tighter. Naturally, we counteract this. In particular, in May last year, together with our Chinese colleagues, we had to draft an American draft resolution aimed at tightening restrictions against the DPRK. In terms of their volumes, they were approaching a total blockade," Ilyichev recalled.
Last year, the DPRK tested ballistic missiles 38 times, in total about 70 missiles were launched. Pyongyang has also tested cruise missiles three times, conducted artillery firing, air Force exercises, testing systems for a space satellite, rocket engines.
"Given the rejection in Western capitals of any ideas to ease pressure on North Korea against the background of Pyongyang's missile launches, the chances of approval in the UN Security Council of a political and humanitarian resolution - let's be objective – are quite illusory. This does not mean that we will sit idly by. We publicly declare that our initiative is still, as diplomats say, "on the table," actively forming world public opinion against the sanctions "cudgel" that hits ordinary citizens and is useless in achieving peace," Ilyichev said. He stressed that the partial lifting or complete lifting of UN Security Council sanctions against the DPRK would require the adoption of a new resolution. "We talk with our Chinese partners all the time about the need to start such a process. And we are not only talking, but we are offering concrete solutions. For example, we have drafted a special resolution designed to relieve the people of North Korea of the excessive sanctions burden and at the same time stimulate negotiation efforts. Unfortunately, the US and its allies do not want to work with this. Even humanitarian arguments are ignored," Ilyichev said.
According to him, Western countries "do not want to admit the obvious thing: the sanctions did not justify themselves, increased the suffering of ordinary people and only postponed the possibility of resolving the nuclear problem of the Korean peninsula."
"Instead of stopping, thinking and listening to sensible voices, Western representatives are trying to tighten the sanctions stranglehold even tighter. Naturally, we counteract this. In particular, in May last year, together with our Chinese colleagues, we had to draft an American draft resolution aimed at tightening restrictions against the DPRK. In terms of their volumes, they were approaching a total blockade," Ilyichev recalled.
Last year, the DPRK tested ballistic missiles 38 times, in total about 70 missiles were launched. Pyongyang has also tested cruise missiles three times, conducted artillery firing, air Force exercises, testing systems for a space satellite, rocket engines.
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