Thank you President and thank you ASG Khiari for the information provided.
Let me start by expressing Albania’s strongest condemnation for the illegal launch of a long-range ballistic missile by North Korea on December 18th, as well as the launch of a short-range ballistic missile the previous day. These tests were conducted by the regime in less than 24 hours, putting at direct risk the lives of the people in Japan, South Korea and other people from the region.
President
DPRK continues to openly ignore the UN, the SC and the international community, the established norms and rules, which ban DPRK from acquiring and using ballistic technologies and from developing nuclear weapons. The recent launches are another escalatory step by the regime. These events reaffirm once more that the DPRK is only seeking escalation through endangering the region and the international community with its WMD and ballistic missiles programme.
We further deplore the violation of the 1718 Sanction Regime. Despite international sanctions, North Korea has continued to develop its nuclear weapons and missile programs, and it’s not doing it alone. Therefore, countries must implement the sanctions and not allow that the DPRK regime illegal programs to get expanded and proliferated.
We regret that the voice of the majority of the members of this Council calling for a clear and strong reaction to the illegal, unprovoked and reckless actions by the DPRK continues to be ignored. Such attitude doesn’t sound like de-escalation or cautiousness anymore. On the opposite, it triggers the drive for the DPRK military state to continue with its illegal policies. With its inactivity, the Security Council has conveyed to the North Korea that for them, actions have no consequences.
President,
The steadfast development of the WMD, ballistic missile and nuclear programmes are having a heavy cost on the people of the DPRK, and on the overall humanitarian situation there.
We are concerned for the continues deterioration of Human Rights violations in the country and the oppression exercised by the regime in this regard.
While the gravity of the humanitarian situation is as worse as the human rights violations in the country, we reiterate our concern that the DPRK regime is exercising brutal human rights violations to expand its abilities as a proliferator.
As de-escalation measures, we call on the DPRK to:
- Reinstate the moratorium of the ICBM launches which was abolished last year,
- End its escalatory actions in the Korean peninsula, through taking steps into reversing its WMD and nuclear programme.
- Withdraw from cyber attacks and destabilizing actions in the cyber space.
- end the violations of human rights and abuses, including censorship and discrimination, unlawful detentions, abductions and killings.
- Focus on addressing the humanitarian situation of its own people.
- reopen communication channels, and also allow the return of the UN international staff including the Resident Coordinator in the country.
In concluding we urge North Korea to refrain from further tests, to fully implement the Security Council decisions and to open the door to unconditional dialogue for ending fully, transparently, comprehensively, and irreversibly its WMD, ballistic and nuclear programme, thus contributing to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and global peace and security.
I thank you!
