Posted on 03/13/2003 1:10:35 PM PST by 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.
No, silly. You obviously don't understand the UN groundrules. Pay close attention.
Rule #1. When the U.S. has problems with Iraq and is prepared to handle them unilaterally, UN Rule #2,568,954 says . . . No, no, big boy. Iraq has to be handled multi-laterally and you have to kiss Guinea's ass besides China's, Russia's, and France's.
Rule #2. When the U.S. has problems with North Korea and, trying to follow Rule #1, is prepared to handle them multi-laterally, UN Rule #4,578,962 says . . . No, no, big boy. North Korea has to be handled unilaterally because the Chinese and Russkies want to know if you've got the balls to blow the sh*t out of the North Koreans so they can make their long-term plans to beat the sh*t out of you in a decade or so and they need to know how much gorilla juice you've got.
Rule #3. UN Rule #SCREWTHEUSA, commonly called the catch-all rule, says anything the U.S. wants must be fought with any and all silly-ass UN rules because, otherwise, they're liable to actually do something positive in this world by themselves and realize they don't need us bureaucrats.
Now, silly, do you think you can remember those simple rules?
Now, seriously, I hope to hell someone in GW's Administration is taking note of all this. There's something sinister going on. France starts to softly and slowly beat an anti-American drum in the spring of 2002. Each day it gets louder and faster. Then French officials start having more and more meetings with the Germans. Then Germany starts their anti-American bit -- I know Schroeder was behind in the election but even then his maneuvering was sure ballsy as hell. Then France starts meeting with the Chinese and Russkies. Then North Korea erupts and all the above are deathly quiet where they've been screaming to beat hell about Iraq.
Could they be trying to affect the Presidential election in 2004? Like maybe they can make it appear to U.S. voters that our foreign policies are failures -- even though one can't be diplomatic when only one side of a debate is willing to make an honest effort? Like maybe they'd prefer to deal with a Clinton-clone instead of another four years of GW? And look at what they'd have to face if GW was successful . . . God forbid, they might have to face another eight years of a GW-clone.
Far-fetched? You're probably right. I'd still feel better if someone would keep the idea in mind. Something doesn't pass the sniff test.
They also know that if there's a regional dialogue, N.K. will be brought under some sort of multilateral control.
And finally they know that if its simply a N.K/U.S. dialogue, it'll simply end with more U.S. dollars being sent to the psycho regime, of which China will contribute not one penny.
Agreed!
Not any more.
China, in particular, has taken different shapes in different eyes at different times. An empire to be divided. A door to be opened. A model of collective conformity. A diplomatic card to be played. One year, it is said to be run by "the butchers of Beijing." A few years later, the same administration pronounces it a "strategic partner."
We must see China clearly -- not through the filters of posturing and partisanship. China is rising, and that is inevitable. Here, our interests are plain: We welcome a free and prosperous China. We predict no conflict. We intend no threat. And there are areas where we must try to cooperate: preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction… attaining peace on the Korean peninsula.
Yet the conduct of China’s government can be alarming abroad, and appalling at home. Beijing has been investing its growing wealth in strategic nuclear weapons... new ballistic missiles… a blue-water navy and a long-range airforce. It is an espionage threat to our country. Meanwhile, the State Department has reported that "all public dissent against the party and government [has been] effectively silenced" – a tragic achievement in a nation of 1.2 billion people. China’s government is an enemy of religious freedom and a sponsor of forced abortion – policies without reason and without mercy.
All of these facts must be squarely faced. China is a competitor, not a strategic partner. We must deal with China without ill-will – but without illusions.
By the same token, that regime must have no illusions about American power and purpose. As Dean Rusk observed during the Cold War, "It is not healthy for a regime ... to incur, by their lawlessness and aggressive conduct, the implacable opposition of the American people."
We must show American power and purpose in strong support for our Asian friends and allies – for democratic South Korea across the Yellow Sea... for democratic Japan and the Philippines across the China seas ... for democratic Australia and Thailand. This means keeping our pledge to deter aggression against the Republic of Korea, and strengthening security ties with Japan. This means expanding theater missile defenses among our allies.
And this means honoring our promises to the people of Taiwan. We do not deny there is one China. But we deny the right of Beijing to impose their rule on a free people. As I’ve said before, we will help Taiwan to defend itself
George W. Bush
That's what I was thinking. How can a country keep a problem from EVEN BEING DISCUSSED? If a country can do that, why have we allowed all the Israeli resolutions that we've vetoed even come to the table? This sh*t just doesn't make sense. The damn UN does abso-frickin'-lutely nada for us. Nothing!!
I still say all this is just a mad-ass scramble to try and embarrass GW. This has nothing to do with Iraq or North Korea. The wussies of the world are trying to decide who the NEXT U.S. President is. They don't want four more years of GW. They want another Clinton-clone they can run all over.
Then we have to make something quite clear to the Red Chinese. Perhaps W. can send over his old man and Kissinger on an "unofficial" mission to state that: The USA will view any nuclear attack from N. Korea in the same manner as if the attack had originated from China, and will respond accordingly. Let's see how much longer this little charade lasts then...
They don't really have a plan, but they'll settle for the status quo as default. North Korea has no easy solution, and the Chinese know it, so they'd just as soon have us pay them off to keep them quiet indefinitely. It's not a good plan, but a great way to pass the buck.
The Chinese line appears to be: Let North Korea ruin someone else's legacy. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
I think you're right but I hope to hell we're BOTH WRONG! I mean if I'm right and all this madness has nothing to do with Iraq or North Korea and you're right about us running around like headless chickens and not realizing what's going on . . . WE'D BEST PREPARE FOR SOME TOUGH, TOUGH TIMES!!
If the powers that be don't know what's going on, we're in trouble. If the powers that be do know what's going on, and if it's as sinister as I think it is, then we're ABSOLUTELY NUTS to be feeding our enemies like we are -- China, Russia, France, etc.
This crap just doesn't make sense.
-PJ
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