The United States on Wednesday asked the UN Security Council to meet on the issue of North Korea after Pyongyang launched a ballistic missile at Japan, but diplomats said China and Russia were opposed to public discussion of the 15-member body.
Nuclear-armed North Korea fired its furthest ballistic missile on Tuesday, sending it to Japan for the first time in five years, giving residents there a warning to protect themselves.
“We must limit North Korea’s ability to advance its illegal ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programs,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Twitter after calling the Security Council for a public meeting. she said.
The United Kingdom, France, Albania, Norway and Ireland joined the United States in order. North Korea is officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
But diplomats have said China and Russia are opposed to a public meeting, arguing to their colleagues on the council that the council’s response should be favorable to de-escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula.
It was not yet clear whether the board would meet in public or behind closed doors on Wednesday. Diplomats say significant action by the council is unlikely.
source: Noticias
