United Nations, July 6: The US Thursday warned of using military force in response to North Korea’s “reckless” launch of a ballistic missile and blasted China and Russia for “holding the hands” of the reclusive nation’s “vicious dictator” Kim Jong Un.
“It is a dark day because yesterday’s actions by North Korea made the world a more dangerous place. Their illegal missile launch was not only dangerous, but reckless and irresponsible. It showed that North Korea does not want to be part of a peaceful world,” US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said at an emergency Security Council meeting here Wednesday following the launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile by North Korea.
The device, launched Wednesday, was capable of reaching Alaska, and the Korean Central News Agency quoted leader Kim Jong-Un as saying the confrontation with the US had entered the “final stage”.
Indian-American Haley warned that the US “is prepared to use the full range of our capabilities” to defend itself and its allies.
“One of our capabilities lies with our considerable military forces. We will use them if we must, but we prefer not to have to go in that direction. We have other methods of addressing those who threaten us and of addressing those who supply the threats. We have great capabilities in the area of trade,” she said, adding that she had spoken with President Donald Trump about the issue.
Calling out on China, Haley said much of the burden of enforcing UN sanctions against North Korea rests with Beijing as 90 per cent of trade with North Korea is from China.
While she said the US will work with China, at the same time she warned that some countries are allowing and “even encouraging” trade with North Korea in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
“Such countries would also like to continue their trade arrangements with the United States. That’s not going to happen. Our attitude on trade changes when countries do not take international security threats seriously,” she said.
Haley also blasted China and Russia for not joining hands with the international community in their efforts to combat the North Korean threat, saying the regime of Kim Jong Un has not and will not listen to anything Beijing and Moscow will say.
“And so it’s time that we all stand together and say we will not put up with this action. To sit there and oppose sanctions, or to sit there and go in defiance of a new resolution means you’re holding the hands of Kim Jong Un,” she added.
Haley also warned that in the coming days, the US will bring before the Security Council a resolution that raises the international response in a way that is “proportionate” to North Korea’s “new escalation”.
Without giving details of the resolution, Haley said if the international community is unified, it can cut off the major sources of hard currency to the North Korean regime. AGENCIES
