It is worrisome to see the continued resistance from China and Russia within the UN in sanctioning Iran and North Korea. They appear to be the United Nation's weak links. They risk unimaginable danger by their perpetual impediment on imposing sanctions on an issue as important as nuclear threats.
This is one of the reasons the UN is becoming known as incapable and incompetent in their handling the problems that face this world today.
In Iran's case:
A top diplomat in London told AFP that the two ministers are from Russia and China; the two old trading partners of Iran who have long resisted U.S.’s calls to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was still not ready to move ahead with sanctions. "We will continue with the diplomatic effort, even though some are in favor of sanctions as of now," he said during a visit to Warsaw.
If Russia and China do not get on board with the rest of the council, they are in effect "encouraging" Iran to follow in North Korea's footsteps. This is unthinkable considering Ahmadinejad's comments about "Israel needing to be wiped off the map."
Iran's conservative new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said Wednesday that Israel must be "wiped off the map" and that attacks by Palestinians would destroy it, the ISNA press agency reported.
Ahmadinejad was speaking to an audience of about 4,000 students at a program called "The World Without Zionism," in preparation for an annual anti-Israel demonstration on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.
Iran is becoming increasingly emboldened by China and Russia's reluctance to stand firm with the rest of the International community.
Russia and China have opposed moves toward sanctions.
Ahmadinejad said Iran would not give up its right to develop the nuclear fuel cycle, which Iran says it wants for peaceful goals but the West fears will be used to make atomic bombs.
"Their stance over Iran is becoming weaker and weaker and the Iranian nation's stance is becoming more powerful," the president said.
During his speech, the crowd shouted "Nuclear energy is our obvious right" and "Death to America."
In North Korea's case:
First let me applaud Japan for their independent actions in actively agreeing to sanctions and imposing their own without waiting for the UN.
Tokyo's sanctions include the closure of all Japanese ports to North Korean vessels, a ban on imports and exports, and a six-month ban on travel to Japan by all North Korean government officials.
In this quiet port town, North Korean trade has been a constant. The ships arrive loaded with crabs, clams or "matsutake" mushrooms, a delicacy among Japanese gourmets.
They return home filled with used bicycles or old household electrical appliances the Japanese might normally throw away, but which can be sold for a good price in the North.
The sanctions, approved by Japan's ruling party on Thursday, were to be finalized by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet on Friday. Fishermen here said the North Korean crews have been told to pack up and leave by midnight Friday.
"We will feel it here," said dock worker Koji Kanetsuki of the bans. "But the world needs to do something. Japan has been through Hiroshima and Nagasaki. No good will come out of having nuclear weapons."
Once again, in North Korea's case, it is China and Russia that is delaying action.
If the United Nations is not capable of uniting to do what must be done, then the individual countries must do it unilaterally. Period. Good for Japan!!!
"I think the council should try to respond to a nuclear test within the same week that the test occurred," Bolton said. "We're certainly in favor of keeping all the diplomatic channels open, but we also want swift action, and we shouldn't allow meetings, and more meetings ... to be an excuse for inaction."
The United States and Japan had initially hoped for a vote Thursday. But if Washington wants to get China and Russia — the two countries closest to North Korea on board, a vote is likely be delayed until next week.
In another article:
The US wants the sanctions - which would also target luxury goods - to be brought under Chapter Seven of the UN Charter.
This means they would be mandatory and ultimately enforceable by military means.
The draft resolution also includes a clause allowing nations to ban the entry or transit of people believed to support Pyongyang's weapons programme, reports say.
But China, Russia and South Korea have expressed varying degrees of opposition.
If the United Nations cannot properly respond to threats to international stability, then what use is it? None, none at all.
With all of this happening, very clearly, we still have rags like the New York Times, blaming the inaction of the security council on the Bush administration. Once again, a case of the left media turning a blind eye to the "facts" because politically it doesn't fit in with their opinions.
Others talking about this: Right Truth, It Shines for All, NewsBusters, Bullwinkle Blog.
More posts Friday 13, 2006
The QuandO Blog, The New Editor, The Glittering Eye, American Future.