United Nations, Apr 10: The UN Security Council refused to act on a US request to condemn North Korea for pulling out of a treaty to curb nuclear weapons because of strong opposition from China and Russia. But US ambassador John Negroponte called the council's expression of concern yesterday "an acceptable outcome" at a time of intense efforts to find a diplomatic solution.
He expressed hope that North Korea "will not reject diplomatic efforts to address its nuclear program" and warned Pyongyang against any "further escalatory steps." At the heart of the dispute is North Korea's insistence on direct talks with the United States, which it views as a threat to its security.
The Bush administration, which included North Korea in its "axis of evil," insists that the problem be addressed in a multilateral forum including countries threatened by Pyongyang's nuclear program. China, Russia, the European Union and secretary-general Kofi Annan have tried to get North Korea and the United States to the negotiating table.
North Korea has warned that any Security Council action would undermine peace efforts and it has reiterated several times that it would regard UN sanctions as a declaration of war. Bureau Report