U.N. Security Council Tries to Diffuse Korea Tensions

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

UNITED NATIONS – World powers trying to defuse tensions between North and South Korea met in an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council on Sunday, but diplomats said China objects to the North being singled out for criticism over two deadly attacks this year that have helped send relations to their lowest point in decades.

China and Russia, the countries with the closest ties to North Korea, have expressed concern about the South Korean military's plans to conduct one-day, live-fire drills by Tuesday on the same front-line island the North shelled last month as the South conducted a similar exercise.

The United States supports South Korea, a staunch ally, and says any country has a right to train for self-defense.

The North warned of a "catastrophe" if South Korea goes ahead with the drills. The reclusive communist government in Pyongyang said it would strike back harder than it did last month, when two South Korean marines and two civilians were killed on Yeonpyeong Island.

South Korea says the drills are routine, defensive in nature and should not be considered threatening.

Russia called for the Security Council meeting, and Moscow proposed a draft statement that would have the U.N.'s most powerful body call on North Korea and South Korea "to exercise maximum restraint" and urge immediate diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions. It would also ask Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to appoint an envoy "to consult on urgent measures" to peacefully settle the crisis.

Most council members, including the United States which holds the rotating council presidency this month, viewed the Russian draft as unfairly equating the actions of the two Koreas, according to council diplomats. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are taking place in private.

The United States, Britain, France and many others on the 15-nation body demanded that the council condemn North Korea for the Nov. 23 shelling of Yeonpyeong island that killed four people, and the March 26 sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan, which killed 46 sailors and was blamed on a North Korean torpedo, the diplomats said.

During more than five hours of closed-door negotiations, the diplomats said Russia showed "flexibility" on a compromise text that included a condemnation of North Korea. But China refused to agree to any condemnation of the North and even opposed including the name of Yeonpyeong Island, insisting that the statement refer to events of Nov. 23, the diplomats said.

The council then moved into a private meeting in its formal chamber so North Korea and South Korea could make their case to members, the diplomats said.

Despite China's apparent staunch opposition to any condemnation, the diplomats said they haven't given up hope of a compromise.
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Muddling through, muddling through...

[ErnstBlofeld]

The UN has never condemned the shelling by the North Koreans of Yeonpyeong Island .China squashed any statement denouncing the shelling.China is the only member state that did not agree to denounce North Korea.