UN Photo/Evan Schneider   

Russia vetoed a draft resolution in March 2024 to renew the mandate of the Security Council's 1718 Committee panel of experts monitoring sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. (file)

Sharp divisions emerged on Thursday as the General Assembly debated Russia’s veto on the Security Council which blocked renewal of the sanctions panel which monitors the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) nuclear weapon and missile programmes.

This is the third time this year that the world body has met to examine veto use among the Security Council’s permanent members – China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and United States – including on the situation in Gaza regarding a US veto.

Last week, Russia vetoed action to renew the panel of experts’ mandate to assist the Council’s DPRK sanctions committee. Current sanctions include an arms embargo and measures to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, ballistic missiles and other mass destruction-related programmes.

At the outset of Thursday’s meeting, Assembly President Dennis Francis told ambassadors that the recurring use of the veto undermines international peace and security.

“The spectre of nuclear conflict must compel us to move from rhetoric to tangible action,” he said, recalling his visit in October to the demilitarised zone between the Republic of Korea and DPRK – more commonly known as South and North Korea respectively - underlining that the current situation is tense.

New draft resolution

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said his delegation had vetoed the draft resolution tabled by the United States for a number of reasons, among them that extending the panel of experts’ mandate would not contribute to normalising the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

“The basic mechanisms of the sanctions are failing,” he said, noting that all other restrictive measures against States are subject to review, but none of that applies to DPRK. “The indefinite maintenance of draconian measures is doomed to fail.”

The panel had been reduced to kowtowing to Western powers amid aggressive propaganda and sabre rattling, he said, while underlining that the sanctions have had severe humanitarian consequences.

As such, he said Russia plans to submit shortly a draft resolution to extend the panel’s mandate for one year, with a clear determination for the Security Council to update the parameters of the sanctions regime.

DPRK condemns double standards

Ambassador Kim Song of DPRK said nuclear weapons are stockpiled in many countries, including the US, yet Pyongyang is the only one facing sanctions.

Inhumane double standards exist in terms of States rights to defend themselves, he said, adding that Council sanctions are the product of the “heinous policies” of the US that hinder DPRK’s sovereignty, right to development and existence.

“This meeting today is not a simple gathering to hear and understand the exercise of the veto,” the ambassador said.

“Rather, it serves as an important occasion to determined whether we will leave Security Council to be a tool of the United States…or we make the Council to ensure justice and impartiality and perform its function as required by the international community.”