UN chief calls for unity in dealing with North Korea nuclear crisis
● ‘Crucial’ that the UN Security Council is united in its strategy
The UN secretary-general yesterday warned the US and North Korea that “confrontational rhetoric may lead to unintended consequences” and stressed that the nuclear crisis should be solved diplomatically.
Antonio Guterres said it was “absolutely crucial” that the UN Security Council is united in dealing with North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests, and that the US, Russia, China, Japan and South Korea use one strategy.
His comments came after North Korea carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sunday.
Mr Guterres told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York that North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests were a threat to regional and international stability.
He accused North Korea’s leaders of “needlessly and recklessly [putting] millions of people at risk, including its own citizens already suffering drought, hunger and serious violations of their human rights”. Mr Guterres urged communication and offered to support any efforts to resolve “this alarming situation” peacefully.
Russian president Vladimir Putin also spoke out yesterday, calling for talks with North Korea and warning against “military hysteria”.
Mr Putin said during a news conference in China that it was important that all parties, including North Korea, not face “threats of annihilation” and “step on the path of co-operation”.
“Whipping up military hysteria makes absolutely no sense in this situation,” Mr Putin said. “This is a road to nowhere.”
Russia earlier condemned North Korea’s latest nuclear test as “provocative”, but said it did not support the idea of hitting the country with more sanctions.
US president Donald Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May have urged China to use all its influence to ensure North Korea ends its “illegal acts”.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister and the president agreed on the key role which China has to play, and that it was important they used all the leverage they had to ensure North Korea stopped conducting these illegal acts so that we could ensure the security and safety of nations in the region.
“Mrs May said Britain would work with the US and international partners to continue to exert economic pressure on North Korea through further measures including sanctions.”
Mr Trump also took to Twitter yesterday to say that he had given the go-ahead for Japan and South Korea to buy a “substantially increased amount” of sophisticated military equipment from the US.
The White House said that in a phone call with South Korean’s president on Monday, Mr Trump gave approval “in principle” to lifting previous restrictions on South Korean missile payloads and to approving “many billions” in weapons sales to South Korea.
Meanwhile, German chancellor Angela Merkel condemned North Korea’s latest nuclear test as a “flagrant violation” of international conventions.
Mrs Merkel, who was speaking to the German parliament, said yesterday that North Korea’s distance from Germany should not keep the country from helping to end the crisis.
She also spoke to Mr Trump late on Monday to discuss the latest provocation by North Korea. Both leaders “condemned North Korea’s continued reckless and dangerous behaviour” and reaffirmed the importance of close co-ordination at the United Nations.
Japanese politicians are demanding tougher UN sanctions on North Korea following its nuclear test over the weekend. The resolution by Japan’s parliamentary committee urges the country’s government to take leadership in pushing for tougher punishment against Pyongyang.