Russia ends UN monitoring of sanctions against North Korea, an “admission of guilt” for Kiev

On Friday, March 29, Russia justified itself that UN sanctions against North Korea and its nuclear program were imposed a day before the dismantling of the monitoring system. The coup was carried out with the consent of China, but was condemned by the United States and its allies, who denounce collusion between Moscow and Pyongyang.

North Korea has been subject to UN Security Council sanctions linked to its nuclear program since 2006, reinforced several times in 2016 and 2017. Since 2019, Russia and China, which highlight the humanitarian situation of the North Korean population, have been demanding a reduction in this. Restrictions of unlimited duration.

After failing to win their case, the Russians targeted the Committee of Experts responsible for monitoring the application of these measures, a committee whose reports it refers to. Russia on Thursday vetoed a draft resolution extending the committee’s mandate for a year, despite several postponements of a vote to approve the talks. The text received 13 votes in favor, with China abstaining.

This veto “In effect there is an admission of guilt. Moscow will no longer hide its military cooperation with North Korea (…) Also the use of North Korean weapons in the war against Ukraine »Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reacted. “What Russia did today undermines world peace and security, all to further the tainted exchange sealed by Moscow.” with Pyongyang, particularly on weapons, condemned US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

A final damning report for Pyongyang

Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, justified his country’s position by holding that, under current conditions, the committee no longer had any reason to exist, focusing on “Interactive questions are not relevant to the problems facing the peninsula”. It instead proposed a reassessment of the sanctions regime to the Security Council. “If there was an agreement for the annual renewal of sanctions, the mandate of the Committee of Experts would mean”, he explained. His proposal is supported by China. “The current situation on the Korean Peninsula remains tense and the imposition of blind sanctions cannot solve the problem”A spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said on Friday.

For the United States and its allies, starting with South Korea and Ukraine, the Russian veto is an incentive for North Korea to continue evading international sanctions, as detailed in the last and final report of the UN Committee of Experts.

In the six-hundred-page long document distributed in early March, experts noted that North Korea continues to “Breach of Security Council Sanctions”, particularly by developing its nuclear program, launching ballistic missiles, violating maritime embargoes and restrictions on oil imports. The committee also claimed to have started an inquiry “information” Reporting exports by North Korea “Conventional Arms and Ammunition” In violation of sanctions, especially towards Russia.

“It’s like destroying a surveillance camera”

This explains the strong reaction of Ukraine and South Korea. In a statement from South Korea’s foreign ministry, Seoul said “Irresponsible Decision” Russia’s veto. “There can be no justification for the disappearance of guardians of the prohibition regime”On Thursday, South Korea’s ambassador to the UN, Junkook Hwang, condemned. “It’s like destroying surveillance cameras to prevent being caught red-handed.” »

“This veto is not a sign of concern for the North Korean population or for the effectiveness of the sanctions. It concerns Russia, which has the freedom to violate the sanctions in search of weapons to use against Ukraine.British Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward condemned.

it is “An attempt to cover up illegal arms transfers between North Korea and Russia. (…) This will have serious consequences for the implementation of Security Council resolutions and the response to destabilizing actions. From Pyongyang and “Global Nonproliferation Will Undermine Architecture”According to the European Union.

“Russia has now used its veto to terminate the two expert committees, due to its developing military ties with these governments”.A joint statement by the United States, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom mentioned Mali as condemning it.

Last August, in a show of support for Bamako, Russia blocked a resolution that would have extended the mandate of experts who had delivered damning findings to the Malian junta and to it. “Foreign Security Partners”.