As expected the United Nations sanctions in response to North Korea’s nuclear test have been watered down by the Russians and the Chinese. The cuts in oil imports and ban on textile exports will inconvenience the Kim regime, but I see nothing in these sanctions that will be a game changer in regards to changing the current status quo on the peninsula which is what the Chinese and Russians want to maintain:
Nikki Haley, left, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and Liu Jieyi, right, China’s ambassador to the United Nations, vote in favor of a Security Council resolution to impose fresh sanctions on North Korea over its latest nuclear test at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday. [XINHUA/YONHAP]The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted new sanctions against North Korea following its sixth nuclear test, imposing a cap on exports of crude oil to the country, though it fell short of a complete ban.
The 15-member council based in New York approved Resolution 2375, which imposes a cap on the supply, sales or transfer of crude oil to North Korea to the level of the past 12 months, some 4 million barrels, and limits exports of refined petroleum products to the country to 2 million barrels a year. It also bans the sale of condensates and natural gas liquids to the North.
However, the latest resolution fell short of the complete oil embargo called for in an earlier U.S.-drafted resolution, which would have needed the support of veto-wielding members China and Russia.
The resolution, though considered a watered-down version of the U.S. draft, will reduce oil provided to North Korea by around 30 percent, according to the U.S. mission to the United Nations, and cut off over 55 percent of refined petroleum products going to the country. China is the largest supplier of crude oil to the North.
It also includes a ban on North Korean textile exports, which was the country’s second largest export category in 2016 after coal and other minerals, and is expected to reduce its revenues by up to $800 million.
The latest resolution does not include North Korean leader Kim Jong-un or his sister on its blacklist, as initially proposed. [Joong Ang Ilbo]
This kind of makes me think of the parents of that problem teenager who got his license and drives 50 miles over the speed limit in residential neighborhoods while drunk and/or high yelling, “Thanks for the car, mom and dad!”
And the parents just kind of watch and shrug.
Smokes
7 years ago
If Trump were really the innovative mastermind he fancies himself… While Haley is wasting time at the UN reading statements like it’s bedtime you:
Float to Russia that due to it’s recent not-so-covert aggression in the region and proxy-hostility towards the US via the DPRK we have no choice but to initiate a large scale permanent deployment to the Ukraine and will start talks on the installment of short and medium range nuclear ordinance. The Ukraine must be protected from Russia’s
Tell China that the world is no longer going to ignore their nautical imperialism in the South China Sea and talks will start with all nations affected by China’s bullying to create Freedom of Navigation Stations (in the form of man-made islands) to monitor and counter any threat from China’s blatant attempt to create SEZ’s in areas they’ve no right to. We’ll also need to start talks with numerous nations in the region to establish permanent and semi-permanent military presences in East Asia to aid the victims of Chinese Imperialism.
Let it sink in, start the talks, maybe an exercise or two and eventually they’ll get the picture and call for a halt at which we say not unless you get completely on board with the absolute dismantling of the DPRK’s ballistic and nuclear programs. 100%, no fucking around. When they finally do, we scale back and shift those programs to reasonable levels to foster any new partnerships and pull out and heavy stuff.
This kind of makes me think of the parents of that problem teenager who got his license and drives 50 miles over the speed limit in residential neighborhoods while drunk and/or high yelling, “Thanks for the car, mom and dad!”
And the parents just kind of watch and shrug.
If Trump were really the innovative mastermind he fancies himself… While Haley is wasting time at the UN reading statements like it’s bedtime you:
Float to Russia that due to it’s recent not-so-covert aggression in the region and proxy-hostility towards the US via the DPRK we have no choice but to initiate a large scale permanent deployment to the Ukraine and will start talks on the installment of short and medium range nuclear ordinance. The Ukraine must be protected from Russia’s
Tell China that the world is no longer going to ignore their nautical imperialism in the South China Sea and talks will start with all nations affected by China’s bullying to create Freedom of Navigation Stations (in the form of man-made islands) to monitor and counter any threat from China’s blatant attempt to create SEZ’s in areas they’ve no right to. We’ll also need to start talks with numerous nations in the region to establish permanent and semi-permanent military presences in East Asia to aid the victims of Chinese Imperialism.
Let it sink in, start the talks, maybe an exercise or two and eventually they’ll get the picture and call for a halt at which we say not unless you get completely on board with the absolute dismantling of the DPRK’s ballistic and nuclear programs. 100%, no fucking around. When they finally do, we scale back and shift those programs to reasonable levels to foster any new partnerships and pull out and heavy stuff.