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.

[DeuceTraveler]

" "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."


Yep. The translation could be: "Please just bribe them so they can sell their nukes and stay from collapsing," Wang told the United States.

[Weimdog]

You might as well boycott Walmart.

I'll bet that 80% of the nonperishable items in Walmart are made in China.

[TFMcGuire]

I read a news report a couple years ago that some slimeball American company selling China just under 2000 radiation-hardened computer chips, too. This occurred during the clinton years.

I don't understand why an act like that isn't a capital offense. Wartime or not.

[VANHALEN2002]

I don't understand? The Democrats(Ted Kennedy et al.) want multilateral cooperation on Iraq and unilateral cooperation on Korea. What kind of horse hockey is that?

[Carry_Okie]

Know your enemies!!!

Would that include Prescott?

[jerseygirl]

Unfortunately, I think we (US) will be forced to talk to NK.

[JmyBryan]

Can't wait to see all the demonstrations around the world calling on China to give peace a chance.

(sarcasm)

[Mo1]

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.

This is a UN problem Wang

[Mat_Helm]

Nuke China, North Korea, Iraq, Iran and just get it over with!

[A Texan]

This is unbelieveable. I think I am getting a brian anurysm.

[Ga Rob]

"And for who's security? "

Why the security of the majority of countries in the UN of course. Despots and thugs all!!!! That is what is going on here...I believe the administration is going about this whole UN/Iraq UN/North Korea thing perfectly. If you look at it...both situations will bring the UN irrelevance to the fore and that is all part of this...in my opinion.

[Bulldogs22]

" Can't stand much more of this"



Our new world Order.

[LaGrone]

That threat (nukes to S. Korea, Taiwan, and Japan) seems to be the only threat we have that might get China's attention.

[CrimeOf73]

Apparently this is just part of China's gambit to force the US off the Korean peninsula. This becomes less likely when the Security Council gets involved.

[HighRoadToChina]

Surprise, surprise, surprise!

Communist China is a "strategic partner" of the US!

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

China is our enemy and all its motives are dirty.There's really nothing to say to korea.Let em keep escalating the situation and there will be nothing we have to prove as they will do that for us.In hindsite,iraq should have been left to do as it da*n pleases and would've taught the euro-sh*ts a lesson.

[Dog Gone]

I'd like to know how they can block a discussion.

[ez]

The clintons and North Korea have laid a trap for Bush. I haven't figured out what it is yet, but it was transmitted by Bill Richardson.

That's why the US Democrats and the NK's and China are all pushing for the same thing...unilateral talks. I suspect they'll try to get Bush in a situation where they can claim he botched foreign policy just in time for 2004.

[adam_az]

Don't blame Wang... You'd be a little punchy, too, if you were named after the male genitalia! this is a HUGH story... too bad Wang isn't "up" for it!

[elfman2]

"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."

Since China wants no part, perhaps after Iraq, dropping Moab on NK's reactor will be our "head-to-head talk" with them.