Saturday, February 16, 2013

On North Korea, Kim Sook Says Russia Won't Want “Hot Potato,” Susan Rice & Cafeteria Talk


By Matthew Russell Lee
 
UNITED NATIONS, February 15 – Following North Korea's nuclear test, how quickly will the UN Security Council adopt a resolution? Inner City Press put the question this week to Council president Kim Sook of South Korea.

  It will be swift,” Kim Sook replied. He said that next month's Council president, Russia, will not want to be stuck with this “hot potato.”
 
So the hot potato,” Inner City Press said to Kim Sook, “is in your hands.”
 
With gloves,” Kim Sook replied.

  Meanwhile US Ambassador Susan Rice, on Comedy Central's Daily Show on Thursday night, when asked by Jon Stewart if the threat of sanctions leads to stand offs or “throwing shade” like in a high school cafeteria, said that North Korea doesn't go to the UN cafeteria.

  But Inner City Press has seen North Korean diplomats there, and in the North Lawn building coffee shop, chatting up Security Council members. It is Rice and the US delegation who are rarely seen in the UN cafeteria. Not to take a joke too literally.

  Kim Sook, it must be said, has thus far not held as many question and answer stakeouts as Pakistan's Masood Khan did in January.

  The Free UN Coalition for Access, when Kim Sook held his beginning of the month press conference, urged him to follow Masood Khan's lead and take questions after closed door consultations of the Council. There are still two weeks to go. Watch this site.