Russia blocks UN statement condemning North Korean missile launch

Russia declined to support a UN Security Council statement condemning North Korea’s recent missile launch, insisting the missile was intermediate range, not intercontinental. 

Russia blocked a United Nations Security Council statement that would have condemned North Korea for its recently reported launching of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

At issue in Russia’s decision was the Kremlin’s alternative assessment on what exactly the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) had fired.

“The rationale is that based on assessment we cannot confirm that the missile can be classified as an ICBM,” Russia’s UN mission wrote to other members of the Security Council, according to Reuters.

“Therefore we are not in a position to agree to this classification on behalf of the whole council since there is no consensus on this issue,” the email said.

Russia suggested that Pyongyang had fired an intermediate range ballistic missile instead of an ICBM.

The Trump administration called for an emergency meeting at the UN Security Council shortly after North Korea launched the missile.

During a meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley insisted that the DPRK fired an ICBM.

“If you need any sort of intelligence to let you know that the rest of the world sees this as an ICBM, I’m happy to provide it,” she said.

“If you are happy with North Korea’s actions, veto it. If you want to be a friend to North Korea, veto it,” Haley added, implicitly addressing Russia.

Haley also said that if further action at the UN regarding North Korea continues to be delayed by Russia the US “will go [on its] own path.”

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

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