March 9, 2013
Akahata editorial (excerpts)
The United Nations Security Council has unanimously approved a resolution condemning North Korea’s third nuclear test in February and imposing tougher economic sanctions on the country. UN member nations are required to implement those sanctions. North Korea should accept the judgment of the international community and put an end to its nuclear development program, including missile launches using rocket technology and other provocative actions.
The important thing is to open a way to resolve the issue in a peaceful and political manner, through the Six-Party Talks including N. Korea. The resolution also urges a peaceful and comprehensive solution to the problem through negotiations as well as requests the North to refrain from taking any action to worsen the situation.
Every time N. Korea carried out a nuclear test, the UNSC has denounced it and adopted resolutions to apply nonmilitary sanctions to the country in accordance with Article 41 of the UN Charter.
Those decisions, however, have been insufficient so far. It is said that one of the main causes lies with China, which has failed to take proper measures in inspecting shipments of cargo to North Korea. Now that North Korea’s nuclear development has become an actual menace to Northeast Asia and the world, China is expected by the global community to take appropriate action to encourage the North to give up its program.
Towards nuclear-free world
The permanent members of the UNSC, the U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China, are all nuclear powers. In the light of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the five also have a special responsibility to work for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Not to give Pyongyang an excuse for possessing nuclear arms to defend itself, it is essential for those nuclear nations to break away from their nuclear deterrent policy and make progress to realize a nuclear-free world.
The United Nations Security Council has unanimously approved a resolution condemning North Korea’s third nuclear test in February and imposing tougher economic sanctions on the country. UN member nations are required to implement those sanctions. North Korea should accept the judgment of the international community and put an end to its nuclear development program, including missile launches using rocket technology and other provocative actions.
The important thing is to open a way to resolve the issue in a peaceful and political manner, through the Six-Party Talks including N. Korea. The resolution also urges a peaceful and comprehensive solution to the problem through negotiations as well as requests the North to refrain from taking any action to worsen the situation.
Every time N. Korea carried out a nuclear test, the UNSC has denounced it and adopted resolutions to apply nonmilitary sanctions to the country in accordance with Article 41 of the UN Charter.
Those decisions, however, have been insufficient so far. It is said that one of the main causes lies with China, which has failed to take proper measures in inspecting shipments of cargo to North Korea. Now that North Korea’s nuclear development has become an actual menace to Northeast Asia and the world, China is expected by the global community to take appropriate action to encourage the North to give up its program.
Towards nuclear-free world
The permanent members of the UNSC, the U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China, are all nuclear powers. In the light of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the five also have a special responsibility to work for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Not to give Pyongyang an excuse for possessing nuclear arms to defend itself, it is essential for those nuclear nations to break away from their nuclear deterrent policy and make progress to realize a nuclear-free world.
