Statement by Deputy Permanent Representative Anna Evstigneeva at UNSC briefing on the DPRK
Mr.President,
We thank M.Jenca for the briefing.
Our position is well known. Russia is opposed to any military activity that poses threats to the security of the Korean peninsula and North-East Asian states. We still do hope that the current trend towards escalation will give way to mitigation of tension through negotiations. In this regard, we call on everyone to exercise restraint and adopt practical steps to recover dialogue.
As for the regular discussions of the situation around the Korean peninsula at the Security Council, we underscore again that we need to take into account all factors that influence this situation. This is the only approach that will let us have a truly constructive discussion where due attention is paid to both longstanding problems and recent steps by the sides.
Therefore we must stress the special responsibility of Washington and its allies, who adopted a course towards sanctions-based and forceful pressure on Pyongyang in the framework of the so-called extended deterrence concept. This has already led to a steep growth of military activity in North-East Asia, which appears to postpone a political and diplomatic settlement of the problems of the Korean peninsula, meaning that it runs counter to the objectives that UNSC members declare.
Nevertheless, we keep hearing increasingly belligerent narratives, whereas the intensity of US and allies’ military exercises does not abate. On the contrary, on 13 March the US and South Korea started “Freedom Shield” exercise and a series of field maneuvers. Next week, first in five years exercise Ssangyong is about to start, where navy and air force will participate. Particularly alarming is the fact that those are officially presented as a will of the South Korean-American alliance to achieve “peace through strength”.
After such claims it becomes clear what path these countries have chosen and what their calls to negotiations that they make in the Council are really worth. Practical steps testify to the opposite.
Mr.President,
Once again, there is no alternative to the multilateral political and diplomatic process aimed at creating a peace system in North-East Asia that would take into account the legitimate concerns - I emphasize this - of all the states of the region and would be aimed at providing them with reliable security guarantees. Otherwise the situation around the Korean peninsula will remain within this vicious circle.
We remind again that back in the day, Washington and its allies in fact ignored steps that Pyongyang made in 2018-2019. Any follow-up on those could have improved the situation in the sub-region dramatically. Subsequent repeated calls of the DPRK to the United States to stop its hostile activities were also left unheeded. No there is no point waiting for Pyongyang to react positively to this sanctions spiral-up and unsubstantiated promises.
Situation on the Korean peninsula cannot be considered separately from other processes taking place in the Asia Pacific region. In parallel to efforts of United States’ allies in North-East Asia to boost their military potentials, we also notice that Washington keeps promoting insistently its unilateral security doctrine in the Asia Pacific and builds new blocs, such as AUKUS, whereby nuclear-powered submarines are transferred to non-nuclear states. All this has a destabilizing effect and leads to emergence of new artificial dividing lines in this part of the globe. Such steps raise concern not only with Pyongyang, but also with other states of the region.
Of course, attempts to enhance sanctions pressure on the DPRK do not help at all. For many years, we have been flagging the need to stop this policy which is futile by form and inhumane by essence. However, the negative cumulative effects of international and unilateral restrictive measures continue to pile up, exacerbating the situation of the North Korean population. I will specifically note that unilateral restrictions not only trample on the sovereignty and legitimate interests of member states, but also contradict the norms and rules of international trade and undermine the integrity of the restrictions agreed upon by the Security Council. Attempts to give at least some legitimacy to such restrictions through the authority of the UN Security Council or the 1718 Committee on the DPRK are unacceptable.
We would like to remind you that the UN Security Council resolutions on the DPRK, about the importance of observing which was explicitly highlighted today, also prescribe to search for a political and diplomatic solution. These provisions remain unfulfilled. Russia is committed to the implementation of the Security Council resolutions in full, and in this regard, we once again draw attention to the Russian-Chinese action plan for a comprehensive settlement of the situation on the Korean Peninsula, which implies concrete steps to be taken by the involved states at various tracks. We underscore again that the Chinese-Russian draft resolution on political and humanitarian aspects remains on the table. Adoption of this document can become the meaningful contribution of the Council to resolving the current precarious situation on the Korean Peninsula.
Thank you.
Right of reply:
Mr.President,
I was also very interested to hear the statement of the US representative who claimed that the US and allies allegedly nurture no hostile plans against the DPRK, and that the exercise will be carried out routinely. Why is it carried out at all then? Military activity of the united States and its allies has assumed an unprecedented character. I remind that Ssangyong drills will take place for the first time in five years, so routinely is not the word here.
Washington’s narrative turns everything upside down. They say there is no hostile policies against the DPRK. I reckon we have heard something of the sort before. For example, that NATO is a defense alliance. And that Iraq used to have WMDs 20 years ago, which gave the Americans reason to turn the country into a burning ground. It is clear that, whatever they say in the Council, plans are the same regarding the DPRK. This being said, they completely ignore that the North Korea calls for a political and diplomatic settlement. This cannot be a zero-sum game in the Security Council, whereby we hear a single position time and again. Chinese-Russian draft and proposals that we submit to the Council serve the cause of a diplomatic settlement and offer constructive steps. But Washington keeps thwarting that.
Thank you.
