NEW YORK, DECEMBER 8 – Effectiveness, unity and transparency: there are the three main concepts that inspired Italy’s action this year as chair of the Sanctions Committee against North Korea. The Italian Permanent Representative Sebastiano Cardi gave the Council the last briefing of his mandate: “A Council that can act unite is a stronger Council”, he said passing the baton to the colleague from the Netherlands Karel van Oosterom.
Cardi stressed that, while we hope for a surge in diplomacy in North Korea, Member States must double their efforts for a full implementation of sanctions in order to lead the country back to the negotiating table.
“This is the crucial purpose of sanctions imposed on the DPRK: to create conditions conducive to restarting negotiations, while at the same time hindering the development of the nuclear and ballistic missile programs of the DPRK. As repeatedly stated in all resolutions, sanctions have never been meant to have a negative impact on the North Korean people or affect the humanitarian situation in the country. During our next meeting on December 11, Committee members will hear a presentation on UN humanitarian operations in the field, and have a discussion dedicated to this subject. At the same time, it remains entirely in the hands of Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and return to international legality, so, also we are nearing the end of the mandate and there is still work to be done”. (@OnuItalia)