RUSSIA VETO ENDS UN MONITORING OF SANCTIONS ON NORTH KOREA; US CALLS IT 'RECKLESS', SOUTH KOREA TERMS IT 'IRRESPONSIBLE'

The United States, South Korea joined other nations to slam Russia who vetoed the renewal of a panel of United Nations (UN) experts to monitor sanctions on North Korea. They went on to accuse Moscow of colluding with Pyongyang.

The Russian veto of the UN panel's renewal comes weeks after the body said it was probing reports of weapons transfer from North Korea to Russia amid the ongoing Ukraine War.

Following Russia's veto, the US termed the move as "reckless" and one that "undermined international peace and security". South Korea termed the Russian decision as "irresponsible decision".

On its part, Russia's UN envoy Vasily Nebenzia said that the sanctions on North Korea were unjustified without annual review and potential modifications. He further told the UNSC members that the West was trying to "strangle" North Korea and sanctions have proven to be "irrelevant" and "detached from reality".

Referring to the reported weapons deals between North Korea and Russia, UK's UN envoy Barbara Woodward said Russia's vote was not out of concern for North Koreans but it was "about Russia gaining the freedom to evade and breach sanctions in pursuit of weapons to be used against Ukraine".

What was UN vote about?

The UNSC, on Thursday, voted on the proposed renewal of a UN panel to monitor sanctions on North Korea. The panel is formally called the 'Panel of Experts assisting the Sanctions Committee' which was established in 2006.

If the resolution would have passed in the voting, the panel would have been renewed till April 30, 2025.

The UN, in a release said, the passage would have also included a UNSC request to the panel to submit its confidential midterm report by August 23 and its final report by February 14, 2025.

Of the 15 members of the UNSC, Russia vetoed the proposed renewal of the panel while China abstained from voting. The 13 other members, including the permanent UNSC members the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, all voted for the renewal.

US terms vote 'collusion', Ukraine says Russia entered 'guilty plea'.

The US condemned the Russian veto and linked it to the alleged Russian procurement of North Korean weapons. US Deputy UN envoy Robert Wood said Russia was attempting to silence the UN panel's "independent objective investigations" because it "began reporting in the last year on Russia’s blatant violations of the UN Security Council resolutions".

He further said the move will embolden North Korea to keep adversely affecting the world security with its development of "long-range ballistic missiles and sanctions evasion efforts".

For months, the US has been alleging that Russia is procuring arms and ammunition from North Korea in violations of international sanctions to use in its war on Ukraine. In return for weapons sales to Russia amid the war, North Korea is understood to be seeking fighter jets and ballistic-missile launch technology, said White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby in January.

Separately, in a statement following Russia's vote, Kirby termed it "reckless action" that undermined sanctions against North Korea. He also warned against the deepening cooperation between North Korea and Russia. He further said, "The international community should resolutely uphold the global nonproliferation regime and support the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and independence against Russia’s brutal aggression."

Referring to the alleged Russia-North Korea weapons deals, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on social media that the Russian veto amounted to "a guilty plea".

UK's UN envoy Barbara Woodward said, "This veto does not demonstrate concern for the North Korean people or the efficacy of sanctions. It is about Russia gaining the freedom to evade and breach sanctions in pursuit of weapons to be used against Ukraine...This panel, through its work to expose sanctions non-compliance, was an inconvenience for Russia."

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), France’s UN envoy Nicolas de Riviere expressed "deep regrets" over the Russian veto. He said, "France deeply regrets the Russian veto which put a stop to the renewal of the mandate of the 1718 Sanctions Committee's panel of experts. This veto purposely ends their work of reporting on North Korea's arms deliveries to Russia, in violation of the Security Council resolutions."

South Korea slammed Russia's veto as "irresponsible" and pointed out that Russia "despite its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has made an irresponsible decision". Separately, Korean UN envoy Hwang Joonkook also said that the North Korea's continued provocations and sanctions evasion, the role of the panel was all the more essential.

With inputs from agencies

2024-03-29T06:34:19Z dg43tfdfdgfd