China blocking major-power UN meeting on N. Korea

Reuters ^ | 3/13/03

[areafiftyone]

UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Reuters) - China on Thursday acknowledged blocking major powers from discussing the North Korea crisis at the United Nations, saying it was pushing instead for a dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.

Council diplomats said the United States, backed by France and Britain, has been pressing for the Security Council's five permanent members to get together to draft a council statement condemning North Korea for failing to meet its international obligations to prevent the spread of nuclear arms.

However China has objected to such a meeting, the diplomats said. The 15-nation council's permanent members are the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China.

China's U.N. Ambassador, Wang Yingfan, said Beijing was blocking a meeting because it believed a solution lay in head-to-head talks between Washington and Pyongyang rather than in the Security Council.

"We do see the possibility that we could bring the parties together. We just wish to have a dialogue," Wang told reporters.

North Korea has in recent months triggered a confrontation with Washington by taking a series of steps apparently aimed at reviving its mothballed nuclear weapons program.

It has become the first country to pull out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, kicked out U.N. inspectors and shut down U.N. surveillance cameras at its Yongbyon nuclear facilities, capable of producing plutonium for nuclear bombs.

The United States has called for international pressure to convince North Korea to reverse these steps and again adhere to its nonproliferation requirements. It wants the Security Council to issue a statement criticizing Pyongyang and urging it to come back into compliance, diplomats said.

But North Korea says the crisis can be resolved only through bilateral talks with Washington that would lead to a new nonaggression pact between the two nations.

The crisis was referred to the Security Council last month by the governing board of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. The council has the power to punish nations for violating international treaties and U.N. rules aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.

But North Korea has warned that it would view a decision by the council to punish it with economic sanctions as a "declaration of war.

[areafiftyone]

Know your enemies!!!

[jriemer]

China wants North Korea disarmed just as badly as France and Germany wants Saddam removed from power in Iraq. Notice a pattern?

[CdMGuy]

Boycott French goods. Boycott Chinese goods. Money talks. For the Chinese, a US boycott of their goods would spell economic disaster.

[Semper Paratus]

I hope its dawning on the Administration that the UN is being leveraged against us.

[Kerberos]

But wait a minute, I thought that is what the U.N. is for, to bring conflicts between countries to a reasonable resolution.

Are the Chinese saying that the U.N. has no relevance today?

[areafiftyone]

Looks like China is North Korea's Bestest Bestest Friend!!!

[ambrose]

Friend or puppetmaster?

[livis_dad]

Well I guess that means China is declaring they are not going to be held responsible for North Korea's nuclear violations... Why not, North Korea is their ally.

What crap, China is intentionally setting up the crisis to fail, knowing Washington will not negotiate with ignorant behavior or blackmail.

Why do we have to talk with North Korea? It does no good, their word is crap, they already broke one agreement with the Clinonista regime and now they want a new one? I say let the UN handle this crisis, I can't wait to see the different countries take sides on this isssue.

[SoulStorms]

...the UN is being leveraged against us.

Couldn't have said it better. It feels like we are slowly being bled to death by 1,000 leeches.

[concerned about politics]

China's U.N. Ambassador, Wang Yingfan, said Beijing was blocking a meeting because it believed a solution lay in head-to-head talks between Washington and Pyongyang rather than in the Security Council.

Nope. The world pushed us into going along with the UN over Iraq, so make Korea do the same!

[areafiftyone]

Are the Chinese saying that the U.N. has no relevance today?

Verrry interesting!!!!

[tomahawk]

Let's see how China feels when Japan, Taiwan and South Korea all build nukes (lots of them) to deal with the North Korean threat that China has helped to create. The Chinese government is acting like they are morons.

[Shermy]

And we have no leverage with China since the govt. bends every which way to the China lobby about trade, missile tech, etc.

[Maeve]

China owns North Korea. The real issue is whether or not our government will wake up and figure out that this pumping of commercial money into China is not making a lick of difference in how the Communists operate. China needs to be cut off at the knees now.

[Ides of March]

China blocking major-power UN meeting on N. Korea

Good.
Irrelevant meetings should be blocked.

[Maeve]

Beware is right.

[rudypoot]

If the UN security council can't lead, follow or get the heck out of the way, then what is the real motive of the council? And for who's security?

[Publius Maximus]

"We do see the possibility that we could bring the parties together. We just wish to have a dialogue," Wang told reporters.

If they don't like our little mano a mano vis a vis Iraq, they REALLY aren't going to like our "dialog" with North Korea.

Just to be clear: China is IN FAVOR of the United States dealing with North Korea UNILATERALLY.

[TFMcGuire]

I agree, 51.

North Korea is China's pit bull. While Kim Chews on our legs, China may try a grab (by intimidation or otherwise for Taiwan.

Ultimately Taiwan and RK may need peacekeepers too. Beats losing thousands of American lives, turning back an attack in these areas.

Wonder if we can still find some Pershings and Lances.

[rep-always]

All of a sudden it's okay for the U.S. and President Bush to talk/fight with North Korea by ourselves but they have their pants in a bind if we go get Iraq with out them. What hypocricy. It makes me sick to my stomach. Can't stand much more of this.