Kim’s begging for war
U.S. SAYS IT IS RUNNING OUT OF PATIENCE WITH NORTH KOREA:
Any clumsy step could lead to a military explosion SERGEI RYABKOV RUSSIAN MINISTER
TENSIONS over North Korea reached boiling point yesterday as the US warned it was running out of patience with Kim Jong-un.
America’s ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, accused the dictator of “begging for war” and declared “enough is enough”.
She told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council: “Despite our efforts, the North Korea nuclear programme is more advanced and more dangerous than ever.”
She added: “War is never something the United States wants – we don’t want it now. But our country’s patience is not unlimited.”
The US called for the security council to impose “the strongest possible measures” on Kim’s rogue state for carrying out a sixth nuclear bomb test at the weekend.
South Korea, meanwhile, said it was in talks with Washington DC about the US deploying aircraft carriers and strategic bombers to counter the esca- lating threat. The country also said it was looking to install four US-made Thaad anti-missile launchers outside the capital, Seoul, amid fears of more tests by its neighbour following last week’s firing over Japan.
Defence minister Jang Kyoung-Soo told the country’s parliament: “We have continued to see signs of possibly more ballistic missile launches. We also forecast North Korea could fire an intercontinental ballistic missile.”
His remarks came as South Korea carried out tests of its own long-range missiles.
Donald Trump’s administration has already warned any threat to itself or its allies would be met with a “massive military response”.
Amid fears the volatile President was inching towards a preemptive strike, Russia hit out at the US for stoking tensions. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said: “Any clumsy step could lead to an explosion, a political explosion, a military explosion and not just to a nuclear test explosion.” China, North Korea’s closest ally, also turned on Mr Trump for threatening “unfair” and “unacceptable” sanctions against countries that bolster Kim’s regime. But Beijing also appeared to be losing patience with the despot. UN ambassador Liu Jieyi urged Kim to “stop taking actions that are wrong” and repeated calls for a joint suspension of Pyongyang’s ballistic missile programmes and military drills by the US and South Korea.
Writing in the Mirror today, former Labour Foreign Secretary David Owen said the US should consider military force. But Downing Street called for restraint. A spokesman said: “Our focus is on working with partners to increase pressure on North Korea and find a diplomatic resolution.”
Matthew Rycroft, the UK ambassador to the UN, stated it was “clear” security council sanctions on North Korea were “having an effect”.
Neutral Switzerland said it would be willing to broker peace talks on the crisis. It came as pictures emerged of a young Kim from his days at the LiebefeldSteinhoelzli public school in Koeniz.