UK: Response to Russia’s veto on UN Security Council mandate renewal

The United States, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom are deeply disappointed by the outcome of today’s vote on renewing the mandate of the United Nations Security Council’s 1718 Committee Panel of Experts.

Despite our concerted efforts to negotiate in good faith, Russia’s veto is nothing more than an attempt to silence independent, objective investigations into persistent violations of Security Council resolutions by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and by Russia itself, as it seeks military support from the DPRK to wage its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.  The text reflected considerations from all parties who meaningfully engaged in the process.  Russia’s veto stands against this hard work and undermines attempts at agreeing to an amenable renewal.  We have now seen Russia use its veto to end two Panels of Experts due to its expanding military relationships with those governments.

For the past 15 years, the 1718 Committee Panel of Experts has been the gold standard for providing fact-based, independent assessments, analysis, and recommendations bearing on the implementation of the Security Council resolutions on the DPRK. These reports help all Member States carry out their Security Council obligations and address the DPRK’s unlawful pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.

We must ask ourselves: Why would any Council member break 14 years of unanimous support for this mandate?

The answer is clear:  Russia chose to silence the DPRK Panel of Experts’ reporting on Moscow’s own violations of Security Council resolutions.  This break in unanimous support seeks, as well, to shield from public view the DPRK’s persistent sanctions evasion efforts around the world.

Now, it will be more difficult for Member States to address the DPRK’s unlawful pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and sanctions evasion efforts within their jurisdictions.

Russia is responsible for that. This is not the behavior of a responsible UN Member State, let alone a permanent member of the Security Council.

Russia’s veto today jeopardizes international peace and security.  Instead of supporting actions to uphold the global nonproliferation regime, Russia has voted to make it easier for the DPRK to pursue nuclear weapons and their delivery systems, and emboldens the DPRK to continue its unlawful activity with a sense of impunity. China, through its abstention, sends a signal too.

Despite the outcome of today’s vote, the Security Council’s resolutions and all UN measures against the DPRK’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs remain in effect. Therefore, the DPRK and all Member States must abide by their obligations as set out in these resolutions.

While Russia silenced the Panel of Experts today, it will never silence those of us who stand in support of the global nonproliferation regime. We will continue to call on the Security Council to fulfill its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security. We will continue to work in good faith with all members of the Security Council, as well as other Member States, to implement Security Council resolutions and work towards our shared goal for the DPRK to abandon all nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.