US urges UN to condemn North Korea; China, Russia blame US
The United States and its allies are urging the U.N. Security Council to condemn North Korea’s unlawful ballistic missile launches
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and its allies urged the U.N. Security Council on Monday to condemn North Korea’s unlawful ballistic missile launches, but China and Russia blamed the U.S. for escalating tensions with stepped-up military exercises targeting Pyongyang.
At the emergency meeting, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council that the United States will propose a presidential statement, saying at a minimum all 15 members should be agreeable to condemning the North’s unprecedented missile launches, to urging Pyongyang to comply with U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions, and “to engage in meaningful dialogue.”
A presidential statement from the Security Council requires the support of all its members, including North Korea's closest allies, China and Russia.
Thomas-Greenfield said the United States condemns North Korea’s firing of two short-range ballistic missiles Monday following the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile Saturday “in the strongest terms” as “flagrant violations” of the council’s ban on the country's ballistic missile launches.
