Media: Russia blocked the UN's condemnation of nuclear testing by North Korea
Reuters reported that Russia has amended the statement of the U.N. Security Council condemning the nuclear tests of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), effectively blocking the adoption of the document. Last week, Pyongyang tested two ballistic missiles, which prompted British Deputy U.N. Ambassador Peter Wilson to say “The Security Council should respond quickly. We don’t understand why Russia has blocked the statement but the other members of the Security Council must accept this.”
According to a source in the United Nations, Russia proposed to include a paragraph in the draft statement calling for countries to show restraint and make efforts on reducing tension around the Korean peninsula, especially by reducing military activities in the region.
Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, voiced the importance of this step. “We believe that we should call things by their proper names and think that it’s extremely important to invite the interested parties to reduce military activities in the region,” Churkin said. “Russia believes the threat of a direct nuclear clash on the Korean peninsula to be absolutely real. Recently, the situation on the Korean peninsula deteriorated because of the large-scale exercises that South Korea jointly conducts with the USA.”