Posted on 07/12/2006 2:07:23 PM PDT by HAL9000
The following is the gist of a draft resolution on North Korea over its recent missile tests, circulated at the U.N. Security Council by China and Russia on Wednesday.The U.N. Security Council:
-- expresses serious concern over missile launches on July 5, 2006 local time by North Korea which had a negative effect on the peace and stability in Northeast Asia and beyond.
-- expresses its grave concern about North Korea's indication of possible additional launches of ballistic missiles in the near future.
-- expresses also its desire for a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the situation and welcoming efforts by council members as well as other member states to facilitate a peaceful and comprehensive solution through dialogue.
-- recalls that North Korea launched an object propelled by a missile without prior notification to the countries of the region, which fell into the waters in the vicinity of Japan on Aug. 31, 1998.
Regarding North Korea's withdrawal from its moratorium on missile launching.
The U.N. Security Council:
-- deplores North Korea's announced withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its stated pursuit of nuclear weapons in spite of its NPT and IAEA safeguards obligations.
-- welcomes the joint statement issued on Sept. 19, 2005 by China, North Korea, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States in which the six parties unanimously reaffirmed that the goal of the six-party talks is the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner, and committed to joint efforts for lasting peace and stability in Northeast Asia.
-- recalls that in the Sept. 19, 2005 joint statement North Korea committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and returning at an early date to the NPT and IAEA safeguards and that in that context steps would be taken toward normalization of relations with other parties.
1. strongly deplores the multiple launches by North Korea of ballistic missiles on July 5, 2006 local time.
2. calls upon North Korea to reestablish its preexisting commitments to moratorium on missile launching.
3. calls also upon member states to exercise vigilance in preventing supply of items, materials, goods and technologies that could contribute to North Korea's missile program.
4. calls also upon all member states not to procure missiles or missile-related items, materials, goods and technologies from North Korea.
5. urges all countries in the region, and in particular North Korea, to show restraint and refrain from any action that might aggravate tension and continue to work on the resolution of nonproliferation concerns through political and diplomatic efforts.
6. strongly urges North Korea to return immediately to the six-party talks without precondition to work towards the expeditious implementation of Sept. 19, 2005 joint statement, in particular to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and return at an early date to the NPT and IAEA safeguards.
7. calls upon all the participants of the six-party talks to intensify their efforts on the full implementation of the Sept. 19, 2005 joint statement with a view to achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia and for this purpose to work together on the early resumption of the six-party talks.
Sounds reasonable to me.
No sanctions in this that I see/ ......
If that strongly worded statement doesn't make NK change its ways, we'll have to follow up with an even MORE strongly worded statement after their next missle test. It must be tough for them to be on the receiving end of all of this hand-wringing and diplomacy.
Does it seem sufficient to you? Does it seem to say something that hasn't already been said and ignored by the NoKos? Does it represent progress?
As far as UN Resolutions go, this seems like a good one. I don't know if previous ones called on nations not to supply materials for weapons to NK, or whether to avoid buying their weapons technology.
We can't reasonable expect a much stronger resolution. The UN isn't going to authorize force to take out their missiles or nukes, and it's not going to put a complete embargo on trade with them, either.
But it did reinforce the concept of the six nation talks, not unilateral ones with the US. To that extent, both Russia and China are more pro-Bush than our own Democrats.
One thing that I'm sure would work in this situation --- and which I'm sure we won't do --- is a huge tarriff on Chinese imports.
Leave the tarriff on until China solves the NK problem. Then, China will solve the problem, after which, we remove the tarriff, and Walmart sales resume.
Biggles: It doesn't seem to be hurting her, lord.
Ximinez: Hm! She is made of harder stuff! Cardinal Fang! Fetch...THE STRONGLY WORDED STATEMENT!
[JARRING CHORD]
[Zoom into Fang's horrified face]
Fang [terrified]: The...Strongly Worded Statement?
[Biggles brings in a strongly worded statement -- a really strong one]
Ximinez: So you think you are strong because you can survive the multi-party negotiations. Well, we shall see. Biggles! Hand her the strongly worded statement!
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