(Rough transcript)

Remarks by Ambassador Bessho, Following Security Council Consultations on
DPRK
13 February 2017

 

 

Ambassador Koro Bessho: Well, the President said that he has nothing to add to the press statement so I suppose I have to say the same, but I just want to thank the President for convening this emergency meeting. We called for it together with the United States and the Republic of Korea, and I’m glad that we were able to have this meeting because we think that it had to do with a very important issue. As the President said, we had a good discussion, there was unanimity in condemning the launch, and an expression of concern about the situation, and I think the press statement actually sums up the discussion quite well, so I will just stop there.

 

Question: What you mean by “significant measures” in the statement? Is there any talk about a new resolution? Any talk about adding names to a sanctions list? Can you give us some sense of what you’re thinking?

 

Ambassador Bessho:Well, as the President said, there is nothing to add to what the press statement says, we had a very good discussion, we talked about the situation. I think we were very unanimous in saying that obviously we have to implement the very robust, strong resolution that we already have. That is a starting point, and that we will keep on watching the situation very seriously.

 

Question: Ambassador, do you agree with your US colleague saying that it is time now for actions, not only for words?

 

Ambassador Bessho:Well, who are you quoting and when did he or she say it?

 

Question:Yes, she issued a statement saying that now it is time for action, not only for words.

 

Ambassador Bessho:Well I think you have to ask her about that, don’t you?

 

Question: Did any member in the consultations bring up the THAAD deployment? I’m not saying it to take any side on it except to say that I see Public reports that China continues to believe that this is in some way destabilizing or maybe provoking. Did the issue come up at all in the consultations?

 

Ambassador Bessho:Well, I don’t think I’m in a position to review what others have said in the Council, sorry, you have to ask whoever you think may have said it, yes. Thank you.