United Nations, May 12
The United States clashed with China and Russia on Wednesday over their strong opposition to the US push for new UN sanctions on North Korea over its missile and nuclear programmes.
The debate at a UN Security Council meeting put a spotlight on the enormous gap between the two sides and the near impossible task the Biden administration faces in trying to get the council to adopt a new sanctions resolution. China and Russia both have veto power and say they want to see new talks and not more punishment for the North.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, this month’s council president who called the meeting, said the Security Council couldn’t wait until North Korea conducted “additional provocative, illegal, dangerous acts — like a nuclear test”. She said North Korea had conducted 17 ballistic missile launches so far this year. — AP
