China calls for fitting but prudent reply: Russia opposes use of force against N. Korea
By Masood Haider
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 10: China called for ‘appropriate but prudent’ measures and Russia opposed use of force against North Korea as five permanent members of the Security Council (P-5) plus Japan met separately to discuss the US draft resolution on Tuesday.
China’s Ambassador Wang Guangya told reporters that the council must give a “firm, constructive, appropriate but prudent response” to North Korea. “I think there has to be some punitive actions but also I think these actions have to be appropriate,” he said.
China is incensed with the North Korean action but it is clear that both Beijing and Moscow will not allow use of force to impose sanctions, as being stipulated by US, Japan, Britain and France.
Following the meeting, US Ambassador John Bolton expressed exasperation over the Russian position on the proposed measures, saying “I was disappointed that Russian Ambassador did not have any instructions from Moscow”.
The Chinese Ambassador said that ‘punitive measures’ would be discussed against North Korea, but declined to speculate that the UN charter’s chapter 7 would be invoked to ensure compliance.
The P-5 — United States, China, Russia, France and Britain — plus Japan are expected to meet again later in the day to discuss the 13 elements of the draft resolution submitted by the United States, including interdiction of ships en route to North Korea in high seas to stop any smuggling of arms and goods banned under the proposed sanctions regime.
Chinese foreign ministry officials said Pyongyang’s decision would damage its ties with Beijing. “The nuclear test will undoubtedly exert a negative impact on our relations,” a foreign ministry spokesman said, according to the AP news agency.
Chinese leaders still see highly punitive sanctions as unpalatable and counterproductive. The country’s elite remains divided over how far to distance China from its neighbour, and how closely to embrace the Bush administration, Chinese foreign policy experts said.
“China must continue to look at North Korea through the prism of Taiwan,” a China expert said. “You cannot expect China to abandon its ally completely while America continues to back Taiwan and allow the independence movement to thrive there.”
Reuters adds: In Moscow, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov called the reported nuclear test a ‘colossal blow’ to the non-proliferation regime but insisted an eventual UN resolution on the issue should not involve the use of force.
“For us that is very important ... imagine if there was military action on the territory of North Korea ... North Korea has borders with three countries, and one of them is Russia,” he told reporters.
The United States, France and Britain agreed that tough measures were needed fast, despite the fact that only one country — Russia — has said the evidence so far available confirms a nuclear blast actually occurred.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted a North Korean official as saying the country would only return to talks to end its nuclear development if Washington made concessions.
“We are still willing to abandon nuclear programmes and return to six-party talks ... if the United States takes corresponding measures,” it quoted the official as saying from Beijing.
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 10: China called for ‘appropriate but prudent’ measures and Russia opposed use of force against North Korea as five permanent members of the Security Council (P-5) plus Japan met separately to discuss the US draft resolution on Tuesday.
