On
DPRK, China's
Li Tells ICP
No Resolution,
Rice "Went Too
Far,"
New
Transparency
By
Matthew
Russell Lee,
Exclusive
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 12, updated
-- Eight hours
after North
Korea's launch
triggered
closed door
consultations
of the UN
Security
Council on
Wednesday,
Chinese
Permanent
Representative
Li Baodong
told Inner
City Press
exclusively of
some of the
diplomatic
points which
had arisen.
On
the substance,
Li told Inner
City Press
"our position
is, we do
not think a
resolution can
serve the
purpose...
Already we
have two
resolutions."
He
told Inner
City Press,
"there's no
agreement on
the nature of
the launching
yet. We can
have a
conversation,
what's the
nature of
this." He
added, "DPRK
this time has
shown some
degree of
transparency.
They are going
to delay, they
have problems,
they
recognize they
have
problems."
On
the process
and atmosphere
inside the
Security
Council, Li
Baodong
Inner City
Press that US
Ambassador
Rice "used
very
aggressive
language... I
told her, I
cannot accept
that kind of
language. You
can disagree
with my
position, but
you cannot use
that kind of
language."
Li
Baodong said,
"I was
representing
my
government...
It went too
far. I had to
make that
response. You
have to show
respect."
Referring
to
the "elements
to the press"
that were
ultimately
issued
on Wednesday,
Li said "later
on, she shows
up with
compromise."
But will that
now be all
that the West
gets? Watch
this site.
Footnote:
Later
on Wednesday,
Inner City
Press spoke
with Japan's
Permanent
Representative
Nishida. He
expressed
frustration at
the current
make-up of the
Council, even
asked -- in
jest, one must
assume -- the
Press to "talk
with Baodong."
These are big
issues, but
individual
personalities
negotiate
them. What was
served by the
run-in between
Susan Rice and
Li Baodong on
Wednesday?
We'll see.
On the
difference,
ignored by
many, between
a UNSC Press
Statement and
mere "elements
to the press,"
it has been
reliably
explained to
Inner City
Press that
unlike a Press
Statement,
elements to
the press (1)
do not go on
the UNSC's web
site, (2) are
not
translated,
and (3) are
not
circulated.
They are
significantly
weaker, an
active
Security
Council expert
exclusively
detailed to
inner City
Press. Watch
this site.
Update
of Dec 13
- another
Security
Council
member, not Li
Baodong, who
was present in
the closed
door meeting
Tuesday tells
Inner City
Press Susan
Rice said,
"You are
ridiculous,
your position
is
ridiculous,"
etc - leading
Li Baodong to
respond Rice
went too far.
Or, the source
mused, like a
Fox?
, 
