NAt a session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Russia had to justify the veto it used in March, backed by several countries that criticized the Russian position and held Moscow accountable for its actions.
“Portugal Deeply Regrets Use of Veto Initiated by Russian Federation on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Security Council Sanctions Regime”Portugal's Deputy Permanent Representative Jorge Aranda announced.
Even before the General Assembly, Portugal considered a Russian veto “Russia's Thinly Disguised Attempt to Conceal Illicit Arms Transfers to and from North Korea”.
“North Korea's arms exports to Russia, in violation of Security Council resolutions, fueled its unprovoked, unjustified and illegal military aggression against Ukraine. They cannot be compared to arms transfers to Ukraine. The UN Charter”, argued Aranda.
At a time when it is necessary to “rebuild trust among member states, renew confidence in the multilateral system, and revitalize global disarmament in the framework of nuclear non-proliferation,” he argued, the Russian veto “does exactly the opposite” and “Russia must be. Responsible for this.”
Portugal also pointed out that the suspension of the Panel of Experts, “although deeply regrettable, cannot and cannot weaken the protection of the international disarmament and non-proliferation architecture and the application of the sanctions provisions of the UN Security Council”.
The Portuguese diplomat condemned Pyongyang's nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches, urged it to stop illegal activities and comply with international obligations, as well as to resume a credible and meaningful dialogue with the international community that is “complete, verifiable and irreversible”. Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
At the end of last month, for the first time in 14 years, the UN Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution that would have extended the mandate of a panel of experts to help with North Korea sanctions until 2025, prompting sharp criticism from the West. .
North Korea has been subject to UN Security Council sanctions over its nuclear program since 2006.
However, the resolution vetoed by Russia does not change the sanctions against Pyongyang, which remain in place.
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