By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, March 7 -- After the North Korea resolution passed 15-0 in the UN Security Council Thursday morning, four Ambassadors came out to speak to the media. (Inner City Press is putting the resolution online here.)
Inner City Press asked China's Permanent Representative Li Baodong about the quote he'd earlier exclusively given to the Press, that “sanctions should be part of a comprehensive strategy to bring back that country to normal track. Engagement and diplomacy should be the primary options.”
Given North Korea's new threat of pre-emptive nuclear strike at the United States, what is the next step toward “engagement and diplomacy”? Li said, six party talks.
Moments later, South Korean Permanent Representative Kim Sook said, “today is not the right time to talk about dialogue.”
Then who will? Inner City Press asked Kim Sook if South Korea could see a role for the UN Secretariat. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had a five paragraph statement ready and e-mailed out moments after the vote.
But Kim Sook told Inner City Press, you have to ask the Secretary General that. We'll try.
Last came Russia's Vitaly Churkin, president of the Security Council for March. He also said that today might not be the right day to re-start the six party talks. Inner City Press asked him, when then? He said the cycle of provocation should stop, other interested parties must act responsibly too. “Let's keep our minds cool,” Churkin concluded.
Afterward, Inner City Press asked Kim Sook, if today is not the right time to talk about dialogue, when would be? “Maybe the day after tomorrow,” Kim Sook quipped. And then he was gone. Watch this site.
