North
Korea Fires Missile After UNSC
Meeting, UNSG Dodges on
Breaking Diplomatic Relations
By Matthew
Russell Lee, New
Platform
UNITED NATIONS,
April 28 – When US Secretary of
State Rex Tillerson spoke on
North Korea in the UN Security
Council on the morning of April
28, he called on countries to
break diplomatic relations with
the country. By day's end, or
Saturday in Pyongyang, North
Korea fired another missile,
triggering this one-liner from
Washington: "The Administration
is aware of the most recent
North Korean missile test.
The President has been briefed."
At noon, Inner City Press asked
UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric,
UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I'm sure you
heard Rex Tillerson say the
country should suspend
diplomatic relations with North
Korea. And I wanted to
know… given an answer you'd…
earlier in the week, you'd said
how diplomatic relations are in
all instances a good
thing. That was in
response to a question about
Morocco and Cuba. So, what
is Antonio Guterres' response to
Rex Tillerson's call to suspend
diplomatic relations?
Spokesman: I think Antonio
Guterres' position on the DPRK,
I think, has been elaborated
very clearly in his own remarks
to the Council a few minutes
ago, where he underscored the
fact that the onus was on the
DPRK to abide by its
institutions — by its
obligations… international
obligations, but also stressing
the need for a diplomatic
solution.
Inner
City
Press:
Right. But, does that
involve…?
Spokesman: That's my
answer to your question.
Inner
City
Press:
No. But, it's a
specific… Does he favour
suspending diplomatic relations?
Spokesman: No.
No. I understand your
question. You'll have to
understand my answer. The
Secretary-General favors
diplomatic solutions.
Inner City Press: So, he
doesn't favour it?
Spokesman: Carmen?
Carmen indeed. As
speeches continued, the UN sent
out Sweden's speech, which
included a line: "diplomatic
relations constitutes the basis
for our efforts and must be
upheld in accordance with the
Vienna Convention." See
Patreon here . Then the UN
sent out a "revised" Swedish
speech with the line about
upholding diplomat relations
removed. Also Patreon here. Call
it the Tillerson effect. Some
background: when Sweden got
involved in an "Elected Ten"
draft on Syria, the US sources
tell Inner City Press questioned
the move. Did that play any role
in Sweden's "revised" speech?
We'll have more on this.
China's Wang Yi, who
spoke at the Council stakeout
before the meeting differed
(Inner City Press Periscope
here). He proposed
suspension for suspension.
***
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