European members of the UN Security Council called for the strict enforcement of international sanctions against North Korea, after a closed-door meeting prompted by Pyongyang’s latest missile test, Channel News Asia informed.
“International sanctions must remain in place and be fully and strictly enforced,” they said in a statement read by French ambassador Nicolas Riviere. Joining France in the statement was Belgium, Germany, Poland and Britain as well as Estonia, a soon to be council member.
North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations, Kim Song, assailed the Europeans countries for doing Washington’s bidding in seeking the Security Council meeting.
“The United States and its followers should bear in mind that if they raise the issue of our self-defensive measures at the UN Security Council meeting in this moment, it will further (increase) our desire to defend our sovereignty,” Song said.
North Korea fired a sea-launched missile on October 2 in the latest series of missile tests, just days before long-stalled U.S.-North Korean nuclear talks were to resume in Sweden.
A North Korean delegation met with the Americans in Stockholm last week, but then walked out, saying the talks broke up “without any outcome.” In their statement, the Europeans said France, Germany and Britain had asked for the Security Council meeting “because of our deep collective concern” about last week’s missile launch, CNA noted.
“These provocative actions … undermine regional security and stability and they are in clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions,” it said. “We urge the DPRK to engage in good faith in meaningful negotiations with the United States,” the European countries added.
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