Accompanied by protests from numerous countries, North Korea has taken over the rotating presidency of the Conference on Disarmament. About 50 member states of the UN conference expressed outrage on Thursday at the prospect of the unpredictable, nuclear-armed North Korea taking over the next three weeks as chairman of the world’s most important multilateral disarmament forum.
The US, the European Union, Britain, Australia and South Korea took the opportunity to criticize Pyongyang for its numerous missile tests and feared preparations for another nuclear test. “We remain deeply concerned about the reckless actions of the DPRK, which seriously undermine the value of the Disarmament Conference,” Australian Ambassador Amanda Gorely said on behalf of the group of countries.
Already several rocket tests this year
North Korea last tested nuclear weapons in 2017. Since the beginning of the year, the military has conducted a slew of missile tests, believed to include several ICBMs. In the statement, which represents the group of states, Australian Gorely called on North Korea to “observe a moratorium on nuclear test explosions”.
North Korean Ambassador Han Tae Song, in his capacity as chairman of the conference, has repeatedly stated that he has taken note of the critical remarks. On behalf of his country, he insisted that North Korea had the right to defend itself against US “threats” as the country has been officially at war with the US since the ceasefire in 1953.
Conference to end arms race
The Disarmament Conference is not a UN body, but meets at the UN headquarters in Geneva. The forum meets three times a year and advocates for arms control and disarmament agreements. An important point of attention is ending the nuclear arms race.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
