S/PV.8363 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Japan and the Republic of Korea to participate in this meeting. I am pleased to welcome the distinguished Ministers and representatives gathered here this morning. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on the agenda. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the Secretary of State of the United States of America. Time and time again, over the past quarter- century, the United Nations has made it clear that the world cannot accept a nuclear-armed North Korea. That is not just the United States position; that is the world’s position. Past diplomatic attempts to halt North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile development were unsuccessful, but now we are at the dawn of a new day. Since taking office, President Trump has led the international pressure campaign that has resulted in the first significant diplomatic breakthrough in decades. During President Trump and Chairman Kim’s historic Singapore summit, Chairman Kim committed to working towards the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. The two leaders share a common, personal understanding of what must take place for the transformation of the relations between the United States and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The United States continues to engage with North Korea to implement the commitments made in Singapore. Yesterday, I had a very positive meeting with Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho to discuss how we can move forward on all four commitments in the Singapore joint statement. We also discussed the second summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un. We must not forget what has brought us this far — the historic international pressure campaign that the Council has made possible through the sanctions that it has imposed. Until the final denuclearization of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is achieved and fully verified, it is our solemn collective responsibility to fully implement all Security Council resolutions pertaining to North Korea. President Trump has made it abundantly clear that if Chairman Kim follows through on his commitments, a much brighter future lies ahead for North Korea and its people, and the United States will be at the forefront of facilitating that bright future. We want to see that time come as quickly as possible, but the path to peace and a brighter future is only through diplomacy and denuclearization. That means that any other path that North Korea may choose will inevitably lead to ever- increasing isolation and pressure. It is imperative for Members of the United Nations to take that to heart. Enforcement of Security Council sanctions must continue vigorously and without fail until we realize the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea. The members of the Council must set the example on that effort and we must all hold each other accountable. Particularly, we must all be accountable for enforcing resolution 2397 (2017), which lowered the annual cap on refined petroleum imports to North Korea. The United States has made its assessment, and we can say in no uncertain terms, that the cap of 500,000 barrels has been breached this year. We continue to see illegal imports of additional refined petroleum using ship-to-ship transfers, which are clearly prohibited under the resolution. As Security Council members, we must convey to the captains of those ships, their owners and anyone else involved in those transfers that we are watching them and that they must cease their illicit activity. We must all be accountable for cutting off North Korea’s illegal coal exports, which provide funds that go directly to its weapons of mass destruction programmes. We must be accountable, too, for curbing the number of North Korean labourers permitted within our borders. The United States is troubled by recent reports that Member States, including members of the Security Council, are hosting new North Korean labourers. That violates the spirit and letter of the Security Council resolutions that we all agreed to uphold. While sanctions remain part of the total approach we are pursuing to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons, I want to finish on a positive note. We are well into a diplomatic process and we hope — indeed, we want — to see this through to a successful end. I am pleased that, based upon recent exchanges between President Trump and Chairman Kim, the President has directed me to travel to Pyongyang next month to meet with Chairman Kim and to accelerate that process. I want to reiterate that the future can be very bright for North Korea if it makes good on its commitment to final, fully verified denuclearization. It will lead to the positive transformation of relations between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, to greater prosperity for the North Korean people, and to an enduring peace. In our vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, nations are strong, sovereign, connected, prosperous and at peace, but that vision for the region will never be complete if we fail to bring about this transformation on the Korean peninsula. The Korean people, the region and the world will never realize the full promise of the future if we do not seize this unprecedented diplomatic opening for peace. I said at the beginning of my statement that we are at the dawn of a new day in the world’s relationship with North Korea. We do not yet know what that day will bring, but we are hopeful that the current breakthrough in diplomacy will yield a brighter future for North Korea and a safer world for all of us. I look forward to the discussion. I now resume my functions as President of the Security Council. I give the floor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kuwait. Sheikh Al Sabah (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, it gives me pleasure to express Kuwait’s appreciation for the efforts of the United States and its Permanent Mission during its presidency of the Security Council this month. I am also pleased to see you, Mr. President, in the Chamber for the first time since you took office as Secretary of State, and I appreciate the comprehensive and enriching briefing you have just presented. Today’s meeting on non-proliferation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea comes only 24 hours after the Security Council summit meeting (see S/PV.8362) at which the reduction of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) was discussed by Heads of State and Government. Such important meetings, which complement many others held by the Council this year, are a clear indication of the grave danger posed by the threat of nuclear proliferation and WMDs, as well as the utmost priority the Security Council attaches to addressing this danger to humankind, in line with its responsibility for conflict prevention and the maintenance of international peace and security. The situation on the Korean peninsula is one of the longest-standing issues on the United Nations agenda, as well as one of the most serious. A few months ago, we all followed with great concern the rise in tensions on the Korean peninsula, exacerbated by the danger of military escalation in the region, following the conduct of nuclear tests and the launch of ballistic missiles by North Korea, in clear violation of relevant Security Council resolutions. But the strong and sincere political will demonstrated by the United States and States of the region to choose the path of direct dialogue resulted in the convening of three presidential summits in a period of just four months, in addition to the understandings that emerged therefrom. These summits led to a number of commitments that were supported by the State of Kuwait and the international community and contributed to defusing the threat of a military confrontation and to de-escalating tensions in the Korean peninsula, with a view to achieving the desired goal of denuclearization and the establishment of a comprehensive and lasting peace between the two Koreas. It is also important to emphasize the key role of the Security Council in launching these diplomatic talks. Indeed, the cohesion and unity of Council members in condemning all North Korea’s illegal programmes and activities, and in adopting a series of international resolutions imposing the broadest and most comprehensive sanctions in the history of the United Nations, were central to the decision to start negotiations, as had long been called for in relevant Security Council resolutions. Since the beginning of its membership of the Council, the State of Kuwait has kept on working to implement all the priorities we declared during our election campaign. These priorities are at the core of our foreign policy, which is founded on the basic principles of international law, promoting the role of preventive diplomacy and redoubling efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts peacefully. On that basis, the State of Kuwait believes that the right way to deal with the issue being discussed at this ministerial meeting of the Security Council is to show full support for direct talks to reach a peaceful solution to the crisis related to North Korea’s nuclear programme and to establish a sustainable peace on the Korean peninsula. At the same time, we emphasize the need for North Korea to comply fully with all its international obligations pursuant to relevant Security Council resolutions, including the elimination of its nuclear weapons and illicit programmes, and to re-join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear State. The State of Kuwait also stresses the importance of holding these direct talks in parallel and conjunction with the full implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions by United Nations Member States, which will provide support for the current course of negotiations. Full commitment to the implementation of Security Council resolutions and the resolution of issues through dialogue and negotiations is the wisest choice and only solution for all parties to resolve this issue. Before concluding, I would like to emphasize that the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and other WMDs can be guaranteed only through their destruction and total elimination. I recall the first resolution of the General Assembly, resolution 1 (I) of 24 January 1946, which was adopted by consensus and aimed at eliminating all nuclear weapons. The commitment to achieving consensus to put an end to the grave threats posed by such weapons confirms our conviction that the continued unity of Security Council members is the most important element of nuclear disarmament on the Korean peninsula. The State of Kuwait will remain committed and eager to support dialogue and negotiations so that we can eliminate all nuclear weapons and thereby fully implement the first United Nations resolution.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of China.

In the course of this year, we have seen important positive developments on the Korean peninsula. The situation has returned to the track of dialogue and negotiations. Seizing the opportunity of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea have been able to turn their relations around and open a new chapter of reconciliation and cooperation. In April, the entire world watched as Chairman Kim and President Moon took a first step together across the Military Demarcation Line. Last week again, we heard the good news that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea held their third summit this year and issued the Pyongyang Joint Declaration. The two Koreas have thus achieved an overall improvement and development in their relations and jointly undertaken to make the peninsula a peaceful place free of nuclear weapons and nuclear threats. China applauds the political decisiveness and courage demonstrated by the two leaders. China firmly supports the two countries in turning their leaders’ consensus into concrete actions, in building mutual trust and in advancing reconciliation and cooperation on the peninsula. At their historic summit in Singapore in June, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the United States reached important common understandings on comprehensive denuclearization and the building of a peace mechanism on the peninsula. That serves the shared interests of all parties, including the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and meets the need for regional peace and stability. It is also what the international community hopes to see. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the United States are actively preparing for their second summit. China supports their efforts to continue the dialogue, meet each other halfway and secure more deliverables at the meeting. China’s position on the Korean peninsula issue is consistent. China is committed to denuclearization, peace and stability on the peninsula and to resolving issues through dialogue. China has devoted great efforts and energy to that end. The recent positive developments on the peninsula are exactly what China has been working for over the years. At this juncture, we believe that the Security Council has a duty and need to send a clear and united message and accelerate the process of political settlement. All parties need to work together for a peaceful and stable peninsula. That is an aspiration shared by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea and all other countries of the region. The peninsula issue is essentially about security. To secure peace there, it is critical to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties in an appropriate and balanced manner. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has suspended its nuclear and missile tests and gradually dismantled relevant facilities. The United States and the Republic of Korea, for their part, have suspended large-scale military exercises. Building on that, a timely release of declaration ending the war would dispel the spectre of war on the peninsula and manifest the political resolve to forsake war. It will help build basic trust, further facilitate denuclearization and put in place the conditions necessary for a final peace accord. In China’s view, a wise political decision must be taken on this. All parties need to work together for a completely denuclearized peninsula, which is a prerequisite for lasting peace. It is what we must do to uphold the nuclear non-proliferation regime, which is the shared objective of concerted global efforts. China believes that the most effective way to advance denuclearization is in parallel with the building of a peace mechanism on the peninsula so that the two tracks can support and reinforce one another and be settled together. The main players in that process are the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the United States, but all stakeholders are obligated to play their part. The Six-Party Talks have played an important role and will remain an indispensable multilateral platform. The Security Council should also form consensus in a timely manner to provide a driving force and international guarantee. All parties need to work together for a peninsula of mutually beneficial cooperation. Denuclearization is ultimately aimed at bringing a better life of greater prosperity, peace and happiness to the people of the peninsula and the region. Over the past decades, cooperation around the peninsula has stalled due to various disruptions, but this year the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has made a major decision to shift its focus to economic development. That decision deserves to be welcomed and supported by the international community. As the denuclearization process moves forward, on the condition that they do not violate Council resolutions, all parties can gradually foster practical cooperation whenever where conditions are met as as to improve people’s well-being. We hope that the day denuclearization is achieved will also be the day that development and revitalization come to the peninsula. In carrying out its mandate under the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council has adopted several resolutions related to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. As long as those resolutions remain valid, they must continue to be fully, completely and accurately implemented. China firmly believes that pressure is not the goal. Implementing sanctions and promoting political settlement are equally important under Council resolutions. Neither can be neglected, replaced by the other or opted for alone. There is a provision in Council resolutions that the Council is prepared to modify the sanction measures in the light of compliance by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Given the positive developments in the inter-Korean relations and those between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea-United States, as well as the important pledges and actions taken by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on denuclearization, China believes that the Council will need in due course to consider invoking that provision in order to encourage the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and other relevant parties to further advance denuclearization. This year marks the sixty-fifth anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement. China’s consistent goal and the objective of the international community has been to realize complete denuclearization and build a peace mechanism on the peninsula. China calls on all parties to demonstrate political courage, advance dialogue and negotiation, and together work for lasting peace. China will continue to make its due contributions in this regard.

I now give the floor to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

In March 1963, President Kennedy predicted that as many as 25 nations would soon develop nuclear weapons, posing what he described as the greatest possible danger to the survival of humankind. In the end, his bleak prophecy to never come to pass. Seven years after Kennedy voiced his fears, the world summoned the collective wisdom to create the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which now has 191 States parties. All but a handful of countries put aside their differences and agreed that global security — indeed, the existence of the human race — depended on halting the spread of nuclear weapons. Only one country signed the NPT and then sought to withdraw from it. Only one country promised, in the Treaty, never to develop nuclear weapons and then did exactly that. That country is North Korea, which has tested six nuclear devices in the past 12 years. Today, the international community shares a collective responsibility to ensure that North Korea complies once again with the rules on which the safety of every nation depends. Britain welcomes North Korea’s decision to re-engage in diplomacy since the beginning of this year. We are encouraged by the meeting between President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang last week. We hope that North Korea’s repeated promises to denuclearize are genuine, but we note the lack of concrete steps so far. Action counts for more than assurances; deeds must follow words. North Korea must comprehensively, verifiably and irreversibly abandon its nuclear weapons and the means to build them, in accordance with the resolutions adopted by the Council. Until that moment comes, Britain believes that the sanctions agreed by the international community should continue to be rigorously enforced, reflecting our shared belief that North Korea’s nuclear ambitions threaten the safety of all of our peoples. The Council adopted the relevant resolutions as one and we should enforce them as one until the conditions that caused their adoption have decisively and irrevocably changed. Britain will continue to play our part in this effort. We are supporting the work of the sanctions Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) and the United Nations Panel of Experts. The onus rests on the whole Council to prevent North Korea from evading sanctions, particularly the controls on refined petroleum products. We support the assessment presented by Secretary of State Pompeo and the United States, which demonstrates that North Korea has systematically violated the controls placed on the import of these products. Indeed, the annual cap for 2018 has already been broken. This year, Britain sent two Royal Navy ships, the HMS Sutherland and the HMS Albion, to the Pacific, where they have helped to monitor illegal fuel transfers. A third ship, the HMS Argyle, is due in East Asia later this year. The members of the Security Council, especially the five permanent members, have a duty to uphold and enforce the sanctions contained in the resolutions, which we ourselves supported. We must not allow the authority of the Security Council to be undermined. Today, North Korea’s leadership has a choice to make. In a country where 200,000 children are acutely malnourished, half of all schools have no access to running water, and only 3 per cent of roads are paved, the regime has squandered the nation’s resources and deepened the poverty of its people by pursuing an illegal stockpile of nuclear weapons. Far from bringing prestige or security, this arsenal has only increased tensions in East Asia and brought upon North Korea the most extensive economic sanctions ever imposed by the Security Council in the twenty-first century. As recently as 1973, North and South Korea had about the same gross domestic product per capita. Since then, decades of communist economic failure in North Korea have opened up a 20-fold disparity. Today, North Korea’s gross domestic product per capita is less than 5 per cent of South Korea’s. But it is not too late to change course. Just as President Kennedy’s prediction turned out to be pessimistic, there is nothing inevitable about the road along which North Korea has so far travelled. Before his regime wastes even more resources, creates yet more poverty and triggers still greater confrontations, Kim Jong Un could decide to allow his country to flourish in peace and safety. He could choose to heed the will of the Security Council, keep his own promises and relinquish the nuclear arsenal that has brought only misery and tension. The decision rests on his shoulders. Until then, the Security Council should hold fast to the resolutions we have passed.

I give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

I thank the presidency for organizing today’s meeting on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, a subject that is at the top of our agenda. It is an issue of vital importance to peace and security in the region and to the world at large. We have come a long way in the past year. As Henry Ford once said, “coming together is the beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success”. The Security Council has worked hard to achieve success by optimizing its strengths, striking the right balance between two main ingredients — pressure and dialogue. I think it is safe to say that we have succeeded, thanks to our unity, which is a vital component that should never be underestimated. Our show of unity was of course brought about by the gravity of last year’s events: the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s multiple ballistic-missile tests and nuclear tests and its development of a nuclear and missile programme that posed a threat to regional and global security and to the global non-proliferation regime. These events gave us a shared sense of purpose and highlighted the urgent need to bring the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea back to the negotiating table. In response, the Security Council has worked together tirelessly and with clear results. It adopted three far-reaching resolutions — resolutions 2371 (2017), 2375 (2017) and 2397 (2017) — within the space of five months, resulting in the most comprehensive sanctions regime ever. This forced Pyongyang to come back to the negotiating table and created a window of diplomatic opportunity that still exists today. The Republic of Korea and the United States seized this opportunity in 2018 by organizing high-level talks. President Moon, President Trump and you, Secretary of State Pompeo, rose to the occasion, and we are grateful for that. The international community should maintain the pressure until the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea meets its international obligations. We should never underestimate the power a united Council can wield. A united Security Council will keep up the pressure on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. A united Council will ensure full and effective implementation of sanctions and pave the way for complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. And a united Council will support diplomatic talks and reassure the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that we are willing to engage with it once it has taken concrete steps towards denuclearization. To achieve that, a well-functioning Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) is essential. It can play a key role in taking action against sanctions violations and in minimizing the humanitarian impact. As Chair of the Committee, the Kingdom of the Netherlands will continue to do its utmost to this end. We need a Panel of Experts that can do its job in an effective, independent and secure manner. Last but not least, we need to be persistent. It will not be easy, but no effort should be spared in seeking a peaceful solution. There is simply too much at stake. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea continues to evade sanctions in order to advance its nuclear- weapon programme, often with the possibly unwitting assistance of other countries. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea might still be moving towards a deployable nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile. There is still a risk of the further spread of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction and delivery-system technology. This would further undermine the global non-proliferation regime. In conclusion, let me say this — failure is not an option. Failure benefits no one. If we act in unison and fully implement the Security Council’s resolutions, historic breakthroughs are possible. The world is watching, and the Council must act in unity, because unity is strength.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.

I thank the United States presidency for organizing today’s ministerial-level meeting on an issue that has serious implications for regional and international peace and security. A year ago, I presided over a meeting of the Security Council during the Ethiopian presidency at which we discussed the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea issue (see S/PV.8053). We all recall the tense situation that was prevailing in the Korean peninsula at that time. Since then, we have come a long way in de-escalating the situation. Determination and diplomacy, coupled with all our united measures at the Security Council, have led to three summit-level meetings between the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and another between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. More importantly, it has resulted in the Panmunjom Declaration and the Pyongyang Joint Declaration. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s latest commitment to dismantling a missile-engine test site and launch platform as well as the permanent dismantlement of the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon in the presence of experts, as set forth in the Pyongyang Joint Declaration, is indeed a step in the right direction. The important steps taken by the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at the Pyongyang summit, particularly military confidence-building measures and an agreement to reduce military tensions along the two sides’ heavily militarized border, will also significantly contribute to reducing tension and avoiding any miscalculations on the Korean peninsula. We hope that these commitments and steps will lay the basis for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and the advancement of peace in North-East Asia. Finding a comprehensive, peaceful, political and diplomatic solution to this long-standing issue and ensuring the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula requires continued dialogue. It is in that context that we welcome, Mr. President, your readiness to travel to Pyongyang to continue dialogue and possibly make more progress on the issue. In the meantime, we recognize the importance of ensuring full compliance with the relevant Security Council resolutions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We note implementation gaps in relation to the sanctions imposed by the Security Council. That requires the continued cooperation of Member States, and I would like to reaffirm Ethiopia’s commitment to fully implementing the relevant Council resolutions. Overall, the recent developments that we have all been observing on the political track, and the efforts to ensure the full implementation of Council resolutions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, require the continued support of the international community. That is why we support the call made by the Secretary- General last week in that regard. The parties should be encouraged to maintain the momentum in their endeavours to achieve sustainable peace, security and the complete and verifiable demilitarization of the Korean peninsula, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions. Lastly, preserving the unity of the Council also remains crucial, and we hope to continue to do so in facilitating the quest for a comprehensive diplomatic solution to the issues surrounding the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, with the ultimate objective of achieving the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Poland.

I would like to thank Secretary of State Michael Pompeo for his briefing on the efforts to denuclearize the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Poland greatly appreciates today’s timely debate, as well as the transparent and open approach to this important subject. A few months ago, we were all pleased to hear that one of the most complicated problems of nuclear proliferation affecting regional and international security might be resolved peacefully, thanks to goodwill, a spirit of cooperation and common interests. We all agree that long-lasting peace on the Korean peninsula can be achieved only through peaceful means. We therefore welcome the continued progress in the inter-Korean dialogue. We are pleased to note that the third summit organized this year between the leaders of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea, which took place a few days ago, was another important step in invigorating and maintaining the dialogue on the peninsula. We also welcome the diplomatic process related to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, marked by the historic summit in Singapore earlier this year. We hope that further steps in that regard can be made following the intensive contacts between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. In that context, we all welcomed the announcement by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on the suspension of its nuclear and intercontinental-ballistic- missile tests. Another step in the right direction was the destruction of a nuclear-weapon-test site in Punggye-ri. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen if that threat will continue in the future. It will be crucial to maintain the momentum, keep the window of opportunity open and move forward on a path to de-escalation. The denuclearization of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea must remain a top priority for the entire international community. Despite the positive developments, Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes are still a threat to international security and stability in the region. We are also deeply concerned about the risk posed by the potential proliferation of sensitive goods and technology to other States or non-State actors. Pyongyang continues to defy Security Council resolutions in an increasingly sophisticated manner. We reiterate our position that despite the political and legal difficulties that may be involved, it is mandatory for all States, without exception, to comply with their obligations arising from the relevant Council resolutions. We are well aware that lasting peace cannot be achieved without the complete and irreversible denuclearization of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in compliance with Security Council resolutions. Despite the encouraging developments and declarations, the process has not yet started. We must therefore remain united in maintaining consistent pressure on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We call on other Security Council members to show their collective intention to fully implement sanctions, end the efforts of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to circumvent United Nations sanctions and prevent other Member States from undermining them. Council members should recommit to implementing all existing and future sanctions so as to put maximum pressure on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to take immediate and meaningful steps towards denuclearization. The progress made so far has been possible thanks to the common and concerted action of all States. We hope that that same spirit of cooperation and unanimity will characterize future activities in this area. Positive developments will have profound implications and beneficial consequences for international relations, including enhancing the credibility and reliability of the international non-proliferation regimes for weapons of mass destruction. In that regard, as the sole sponsor of General Assembly resolutions on the implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, we would like to express our hope that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will soon adhere to the Convention, filling a gap and bringing it close to universalization. Another crucial step for Pyongyang towards de-escalation and confidence-building would be signing the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. I would like to remind the Council of the Treaty’s effectiveness in helping us to deal with the nuclear tests conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, even though it has not yet entered into force. As a member of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, Poland has been actively supporting international efforts to promote peace and stability in the region. We will continue to engage in all activities that can lead to the permanent denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. That also means supporting further initiatives and actions aimed at reducing tension and facilitating dialogue. Poland will continue its engagement in international bodies, as well as in other global and regional initiatives. Examples of our engagement in that regard include our recent chairmanship of the Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, as well as ongoing international partnerships for nuclear-disarmament verification. In conclusion, let me express our deep conviction that the current momentum will not be wasted. The list of activities is long: denuclearizing North Korea, strengthening the universalization of non-proliferation regimes, securing verification mechanisms, implementing good practices and tightening international cooperation in the field. If we want to be successful, we must stand united.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

In the past few months, considerable progress has been achieved in resolving the problems on the Korean peninsula. The region has seen a significant reduction in tensions as a result of the moratorium declared by Pyongyang in April on missile launches and nuclear tests, the closure of the nuclear-weapon-test site in Punggye-ri and the decision by the United States and the Republic of Korea to postpone their summer military manoeuvres indefinitely. We would like to point to the successful implementation of the inter-Korean agreements detailed in the Panmunjom Declaration of 27 April and the September visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea by President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea, during which the Pyongyang Declaration was signed. It states the Korean parties’ intention to broaden the scope of their cooperation, as well as Pyongyang’s obligations to dismantle the Tonchan-Ni missile range and close its nuclear facilities in Yongbyon, which gives us hope that the situation in this part of the world can be stabilized. Russia actively supports a rapprochement between South and North Korea and a settlement of the problems on the Korean peninsula in general. For a long time now we have been urging our partners to work on this, including within the framework of implementing the road map established by Russia and China last summer, which isnow de facto being implemented. We believe that building trust is the key to finding a political and diplomatic path to resolving the issues on the Korean peninsula. The agreement reached in Pyongyang between the two Koreas on the restoration of rail and road links is an important step in that direction. We call on Council members to support Pyongyang and Seoul’s initiatives, which fully respond to the spirit of our resolutions. Any possibility that the sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea can become an instrument of collective punishment is absolutely unacceptable. Any lack of trust between Washington and Pyongyang is an obstacle to developing joint measures that both sides could undertake simultaneously and gradually with a view to advancing the overall settlement process. We suggest working together to consider a system of international security guarantees, which would be a definitive prerequisite for resolving the task of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula. In view of the willingness that Pyongyang has shown to cooperate and the positive progress it has made in stabilizing the situation in the region, the policy of Western partners aimed at further sanctions crackdowns on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea seems increasingly ill-timed. Considering that Pyongyang has taken a number of important steps towards denuclearization, it would seem logical to support those efforts and propose something in return in order to maintain this positive momentum. In that connection, I would like to hear some of our colleagues in the Council explain their reasons for obstinately rejecting any possibility of a positive signal from the Security Council regarding Pyongyang’s steps towards the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. We would like to point out that any negotiation is a two-way street. The steps taken by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s towards gradual disarmament should be accompanied by reductions in sanctions. Actions deserve reactions. That is essential if we are to avoid situations like the one, for example, that arose with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action when our American colleagues invented a pretext for withdrawing unilaterally from the Iranian nuclear deal, thereby violating their obligations under Security Council resolutions. The institutions and mechanisms of the United Nations and its Security Council should work to support the settlement process and the inter-Korean dialogue, not to become obstacles to them. Only then will it be possible to talk about an effective solution to the issues that have accumulated in the region, including the nuclear issue, on a basis of mutually acceptable agreements. Achieving that with sanctions and pressure would be difficult if not impossible. The extreme lengths that the Council’s sanctions instruments have gone to already mean that Member States and international organizations are often unable to support in a normal regime even humanitarian, sports and diplomatic links — which have nothing to do with the development of nuclear missile programmes — to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The further expansion of sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has already gone beyond measures to block the channels for financing Pyongyang’s banned nuclear- missile programmes and is threatening North Korean citizens with social, economic and humanitarian hardships that are simply unacceptable. Incidentally, it is relevant to remember here that besides a sanctions component, all Security Council resolutions in this area include provisions for measures for achieving a political and diplomatic settlement of the situation on the Korean peninsula, and ignoring them is tantamount to non-compliance with the Council’s consensus agreements on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The so-called autonomous, or secondary sanctions imposed by the United States and some of its allies on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and other States, and going around and over Security Council sanctions, are even worse. Such unilateral restrictions not only undermine the sovereignty and legitimate interests of Member States and contradict the norms and rules of international trade, they also undermine the integrity of the Security Council’s own agreed restrictions. We once again urge the countries imposing them to stop this practice. We are increasingly seeing them become a tool for unfair competition and for scaring business operators away from third countries. The example of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in that regard is very instructive. It is extremely difficult to conduct business even when the Security Council sanctions regime does not forbid it, thanks to the existence of these illegal practices and entrepreneurs’ fear of ending up on a banned list. Any attempts to bless such restrictions by invoking the authority of the Council or its Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006), or to question one or another country’s sticking to the strict implementation of the Council resolutions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, are unacceptable. We support both the Council and its 1718 Committee in making every possible effort to find political and diplomatic solutions to the issues on the Korean peninsula and to help to establish a multilateral security mechanism in North-East Asia. We also consider it the right moment for the Security Council to send a clear message in support of the positive trends in the situation regarding the Korean the peninsula. That could be done, for example, by adopting a corresponding resolution, a draft of which we would like to prepare and submit to the Council for discussion. We also consider it important to regularly assess the advisability of reviewing some of the restrictions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as Pyongyang makes progress towards renouncing its nuclear weapons. It would be possible to come up with at least some small steps, for instance. Security Council resolutions allow for a review of limitations in the case of political advances. As I already mentioned, the parties to the Panmunjom and Pyongyang Declarations, for example, affirmed their interest in implementing joint economic projects. If we all welcome those agreements, we should think about having the 1718 Committee come up with special conditions for considering applications for exemptions from the sanctions regime for the purpose of implementing inter-Korean cooperative projects agreed on by Pyongyang and Seoul. Russia is ready to work as closely as possible with all interested countries with the aim of ensuring peace, stability and a comprehensive settlement of the problems of the Korean peninsula on a basis of equal, non-discriminatory negotiations with the participation of all interested parties.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of France.

North Korea continues to represent the most serious proliferation crisis that the international community has had to deal with in the early years of the twenty- first century. It is a major challenge to our collective security, and I would like to thank Secretary of State Michael Pompeo for organizing today’s meeting. What is the situation? The process that has been launched between South Korea and North Korea, on the one hand, and between the United States and North Korea, on the other, has helped to reduce the tensions in the Korean peninsula since the beginning of this year. The Singapore summit, initiated by the United States, was an important event in that regard, and we should certainly welcome it, especially in the light of the mistrust that prevailed throughout 2017. We have taken note of the commitments made by North Korea on 19 September in the Pyongyang Declaration aimed at easing tensions and bringing about a rapprochement between the two Koreas. In that regard, I welcome the diplomatic efforts of President Moon, which were also on view again at last week’s inter-Korean summit. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that as long as North Korea has not given up its nuclear and ballistic programmes, they will continue to pose a threat to the region and the whole world. The Council’s priority should be to induce North Korea to display a significant willingness to retreat from its ambition to build an operational nuclear arsenal and to make concrete moves in that direction. As a matter of fact, the International Atomic Energy Agency recently pointed out that North Korea had continued its nuclear activities in the past few months, as did the United Nations Panel of Experts assisting the Committee pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006). We should also highlight the fact that North Korea has not ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention and continues to maintain military chemical and biological capabilities. The investigation conducted following the death of Kim Jong-nam in February 2017 in Kuala Lumpur established links with North Korea. As a result, and despite the welcome reduction in tensions, the situation remains a threat to international security. As long as North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic programmes continue to exist, any incident is capable of provoking an escalation. Furthermore, while this programme continues, there is always a risk of secondary proliferation from North Korea to other countries, and even to non-State entities, which will persist until North Korea’s arsenal has been eliminated and its nuclear and ballistic experts have been converted back to civilian sectors. The Council’s task must be to keep up the pressure so that this time North Korea keeps to its commitments. For the process to be successful, it must be based on concrete measures, and North Korea must demonstrate a genuine willingness to dismantle its nuclear and ballistic programmes in a comprehensive, verifiable and irreversible manner in line with Council resolutions. We expect it to go above and beyond what are admittedly symbolic and reversible gestures, such as announcing the destruction of its nuclear test site. In that regard, the International Atomic Energy Agency will certainly have an important role to play, for which it is actively preparing. Experts from the nuclear-weapon States should be at the forefront in verifying the most highly sensitive activities. France will be ready to assist when the time comes. A first concrete step could be making a complete and accurate inventory of North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic programme. How should we approach this? First and foremost, we should support the existing dialogue, because it is vital to restoring confidence and making progress towards denuclearization. At the same time, we must collectively maintain a firm policy with regard to North Korea by rigorously applying the Security Council sanctions. Sanctions are not an end in themselves but rather a strategy for applying pressure in the pursuit of a political solution. I think that the Security Council must remain united on the fact that the sanctions remain essential. We should continue to be particularly vigilant in ensuring that we all respect our obligations under international law. In that regard, I commend the remarkable work done by the Panel of Experts and the Sanctions Committee, both of which are essential tools for verifying the effective application of sanctions, and here I want to highlight the importance we attach to the independence and impartiality of the work of the Panel of Experts. As several previous speakers have already mentioned, we must combat the strategies deployed by North Korea to circumvent the sanctions through various illicit activities ranging from money-laundering to ocean trans-shipment operations of oil and coal. President Kim Jong Un says that he wants denuclearization, and he has asked us not to doubt his intentions. For our part, we will judge him by his actions, and we call for a united and determined response from the international community that respects the decisions of the Council. The credibility and sustainability of our collective security architecture — and of non-proliferation in particular — are at stake. That is the path that France wishes to see the Council take here.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.

We are grateful to the United States presidency and to you personally, Secretary Pompeo, for this opportunity to consider further steps for achieving the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Kazakhstan knows first-hand that nuclear disarmament is a complex and comprehensive process that demands a step-by-step approach, with incredible effort, immense patience, mutual concessions and good faith on the part of all stakeholders. That is why we invite the leadership of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to follow the successful experience and bright path taken by Kazakhstan, and I hope that my dialogue with my colleague from North Korea will be meaningful. As we all know, despite the great temptation to become a new nuclear Power upon our independence in 1991 and the unpredictable geopolitical uncertainties in our region at that time, my President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, made the momentous decision to abandon the fourth largest nuclear arsenal in the world, which we had inherited, as well as to shut down the world’s second largest nuclear test site, at Semipalatinsk. We steered that ship successfully through uncharted waters and eventually became a trusted and reliable partner for the world community, which in turn has invested in us, resulting in many economic gains for both our nation and our people. Today Kazakhstan is a progressive, stable and prosperous State with the ambitious goal of becoming one of the world’s 30 most advanced economies and countries in the next few decades. Our robust steps to achieve denuclearization were a testament to strong political will, and they succeeded thanks to the exemplary cooperative efforts of the Russian Federation and the United States. I believe that such practical, pragmatic and mutually beneficial collaboration could be used in other, new circumstances for tackling new threats emerging in our world today. We are also deeply grateful to the United Kingdom, France and China for their constructive support to our anti-nuclear endeavours. It is indeed remarkable that all five nuclear Powers simultaneously signed the Protocol to the Central Asian nuclear-weapon-free zone treaty, also known as the Semipalatinsk Treaty. It is a good example of mutual goodwill, indicating that despite the differences among the five permanent members of the Security Council, there can be further joint efforts on important issues aimed at strengthening non-proliferation. Our invaluable experience says that disarmament is the best way to build confidence. Having chosen a nuclear-free path, we went further, together with our four neighbouring fraternal countries, in creating a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia. It is the first and still the only one of its kind in the northern hemisphere, flanked by two large nuclear Powers and not far from some other actors in this area. Our President also initiated an extremely important project aimed at establishing trusting and trustworthy cooperation in Asia on a broad scale. In 1992 we created the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia (CICA), which now unites 27 States in the region and works to avert threats to stability in the region by successfully tackling many challenges. It is a unique regional structure in which Iran and Israel, India and Pakistan and other States with complex relations sit at one table, side by side, to negotiate measures in mutual respect and goodwill. We would therefore gladly receive the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Japan into CICA membership so that we can welcome North-East Asia into our fold and lay new ground for solidarity and trust. My President’s experience and further ideas on confidence-building measures were shared with the Council in January at the signature event of Kazakhstan’s presidency of the Security Council (see S/PV.8160). Today’s developments on the Korean peninsula demonstrate the relevance of this approach. We commend the two Korean States for their meaningful efforts and joint projects to restore an inclusive dialogue. We also greatly appreciate the decision of the United States and the Republic of Korea to suspend their regular joint regional military exercises. All of these steps encourage the parties to continue with the peaceful political and diplomatic measures that made possible the historic Singapore summit and the continuing inter-Korean summits. We strongly support such endeavours and welcome the outcome of the third meeting of the two Korean leaders, with further important agreements contained in the joint Pyongyang Declaration. The continued friendly political dialogue and mutually beneficial projects between Pyongyang and Seoul have the potential to become the most effective way for the long-term settlement of tensions in the region, resulting in mutually acceptable solutions for full, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization. How can the Security Council better contribute to that noble cause? First of all, unity in the Council must be preserved and harnessed to achieve that key overarching task. We hope that there will be a speedy settlement to some of the remaining disagreements among the members of the Council on the basis of mutual trust and endurance. Kazakhstan understands the serious concerns regarding the continued violations of Security Council resolutions and related sanctions requirements from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and others. It has to be realized that our constructive actions are based on good intentions, with an understanding that sanctions are interim measures designed to solve problematic issues by peaceful, political and diplomatic means. Based on its practical experience, Kazakhstan advocates for transparency and a gradual process in the massive task of disarmament, which must give equal consideration to the concerns of all parties and include a mutual realization of the commitments pledged. My President noted during the January meeting that providing security assurances to the disarming party is an important sine qua non for moving forward (see S/PV.8160). In that specific context, Kazakhstan suggests considering the possibility of developing a road map for the phased denuclearization of North Korea, with solid security guarantees from the five permanent member of the Council, in return for the full implementation by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea of all of its obligations and its return to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The compulsory implementation of that course of action could be enshrined in a relevant Council resolution, with clear consequences if not fulfilled. Kazakhstan is ready to share its experience and provide technical expertise to realize a phased and transparent process of denuclearization. We are confident that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will be able to replicate our success and even go beyond by setting a practical example to inspire the North-East Asia region to become the second nuclear- weapon-free zone in the northern hemisphere. Such zones should be necessarily encouraged by obtaining security guarantees from the five permanent members of the Council. In that regard we reiterate our hope the Central Asia nuclear-weapon-free zone will be endorsed by the final remaining member of the group of five permanent members. Finally, the situation today on the Korean peninsula is much improved and more favourable than ever before. It prompts us to focus more on working with determination and to redouble our goodwill, patience and political will to successfully advance towards the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. That, in turn, will result in new stability for the region and the world at large, on the understanding that peace in one country is an investment in global peace, for we are all bound together by a common humanity and shared destiny for all.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.

Côte d’Ivoire is grateful to the United States presidency of the Security Council for organizing this briefing on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. The topic of today’s debate is all the more relevant as it comes in a context marked by recurrent violations of international treaties and Security Council resolutions that aim to ban the production, stockpiling, transfer and use of weapons of mass destruction. As a State party to all treaties prohibiting nuclear, chemical and bacteriological weapons, Côte d’Ivoire shares the concerns of the international community in the face of the worrying erosion of the non-proliferation regime and the serious threats posed to international peace and security. Persistent security tensions on the Korean peninsula, fuelled by North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, as well as reports of violations of the Security Council’s sanctions regime, are representative of the threats posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction . In that regard, Côte d’Ivoire asks that North Korea respect its obligations, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions. We encourage the North Korean authorities to take all the necessary measures for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Côte d’Ivoire commends the recent measures taken by Pyongyang to that effect, the most significant of which remains the dismantling of its main nuclear test site at Punggye-ri. We urge North Korea to do even more in order to create an environment of mutual trust with all States in the region, as well as all stakeholders to the North Korean nuclear issue. My country welcomes the calming of the situation that resulted in the return of the remains of American soldiers who died during the 1950-1953 Korean War, and the historic summit of 12 June between President Donald Trump and President Kim Jong Un. Lasting peace and stability on the Korean peninsula will be possible only through the commitment of all States in the region to favour dialogue and the peaceful settlement of their differences. My country believes that stakeholders need to build trust between each other. In that regard, we are happy to note the improving relations between North and South Korea, as manifested by the third summit in one year between their respective Presidents, which was held in Pyongyang in September. The summit was another step towards the much-desired reconciliation of the two Korean States and the realization of a common ambition for a zone of permanent peace. The summit also consolidated the Panmunjom Declaration on Peace, Prosperity and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula, which was signed on 27 April, as well as the achievements of the two previous summits, particularly the reduction of political and military tensions, inter-Korean cooperation and denuclearization. Côte d’Ivoire also welcomes the willingness of the Korean leaders to engage in mutually beneficial economic and humanitarian cooperation. We pay tribute to the sponsors of that progress, notably the United States of America and China, and we hope that the ongoing dynamic of collaboration will lead to the signing of a peace treaty and the total denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. The Security Council has a duty to support and accompany the ongoing normalization process. Its firmness will also be decisive in the implementation of the sanctions regime and its unity of action in promoting respect for international treaties against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Côte d’Ivoire reiterates its conviction that only a collective commitment by the Council to support dialogue among all parties will result in the resolution of the current crisis on the Korean peninsula. We also reaffirm our commitment to the virtues of multilateralism and call for the strengthening of international frameworks, within which consensual solutions to contemporary challenges are developed.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Peru.

We welcome the convening of this briefing and highlight the importance of addressing the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula at the Security Council. We would also like to thank Secretary of State Pompeo for the important information provided and convey Peru’s support for the important efforts that his Government has been making. My country notes with deep concern the serious threat to international peace and security posed by the nuclear and ballistic missile programmes of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. As has been mentioned, that threat constitutes a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations, the nuclear non-proliferation regime and the specific mandates of the Council. In that regard, we emphasize that North Korea’s programmes and their related activities must be abandoned in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner. We believe that, for as long as that does not happen, the sanctions imposed by the Council must remain in force and be strictly implemented by all States. Peru complies with implementing those sanctions within its jurisdiction and considers that the Council must remain vigilant in determining and sanctioning any possible non-compliance, wherever it occurs. We wish to emphasize the unanimous commitment of the members of the Security Council on that issue. Peru attaches the greatest importance to maintaining unity with a view to achieving denuclearization on the Korean peninsula. In that regard, we would like to commend the high-level diplomacy deployed by the South Korean and United States authorities, including you, Mr. Secretary of State, and we hope that the latter can begin to produce concrete results on denuclearization. This is clearly a complex issue, which dates back to the Korean War. That is why we value the progress made in recent months, which has so far served to alleviate tensions, build confidence, reduce the risk of misunderstandings or miscalculations and ultimately lay the foundations for denuclearization. We welcome the agreements that were achieved at the third inter-Korean summit, held last week in Pyongyang, which include concrete measures aimed towards the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and reflect the intentions of both countries to create a new platform of trust with a view to achieving peace. In the light of those developments, we believe that the sanctions regime imposed by the Council has proved to be an effective means of bringing the North Korean Government closer to the negotiating table, without leading to a deterioration of the humanitarian situation for the country’s civilian population. In that regard, we would like to acknowledge initiative of the United States, under whose leadership the sanctions regime has been strengthened, and to stress once again the importance of multilateralism, international law and the principle of the peaceful settlement of disputes to face threats and challenges that are common to us all. Peru, as a country committed to the nuclear non-proliferation regime, is party to all the relevant international instruments. That includes the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which makes Latin America and the Caribbean a region free of nuclear weapons, and the most recent United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. We aspire to a world free of the threat posed by such weapons, and I would therefore like to conclude by reaffirming Peru’s full and constant readiness to contribute to all the efforts being made to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Equatorial Guinea.

At the outset, the delegation of Equatorial Guinea would like to thank Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Government of the United States of America for convening this debate and congratulate the United States on its excellent work as President of the Council this September. The non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and global nuclear disarmament is one of the main purposes and missions of the United Nations and Equatorial Guinea. In that regard, my Government maintains a firm policy of rejecting and strongly condemning any action involving launching ballistic missiles, carrying out nuclear tests, developing a military nuclear programme, as well as violating the relevant Council resolutions that strengthen international sanctions against the proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction. The nuclear and ballistic programmes of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea do not simply represent a regional concern, but a global one, as the consequences and effects of any accidental or intentional nuclear detonation would be catastrophic at the global level. Equatorial Guinea has always maintained that sanctions themselves are not an objective; rather, they are a means to an end. They must therefore be applied with proportionality and prudence under the premise that all peaceful means have been exhausted, which prevents them from causing damage to the weakest and most vulnerable sectors. It must be clear that, when sanctions are imposed by the Council, all States must comply with them. But we cannot presume that the current sanctions mechanism of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) is currently the most effective. Equatorial Guinea is in favour of improving that mechanism; establishing stricter criteria for verification of evidence; strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime through international cooperation and consultation; deterring in order to maintain the moratorium on nuclear tests; setting explicit time limits for resolutions adopted by the Committee; drawing up a protocol of action for Committee members; taking practical and effective measures to disseminate and make universally known the 1718 sanctions regime, on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; seeking the possibility of sanctions that cause fewer humanitarian crises and have a lesser impact on third countries; and helping developing countries strengthen their capacity to enforce and implement sanctions. We are witnessing both rare opportunities and serious challenges to achieving the lasting peace and common development of human society. An example of that is the peace and complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, which remains a main theme of the Council. The latest developments in 2018 regarding the situation of the Korean peninsula are a sign of hope. I am referring to the high-level inter-Korean negotiations between the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Un, and the President of the Republic of Korea, Moon Jae-in, and to the summit that took place in June in Singapore between the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, and the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which, if crystallized, would represent profound and hopeful changes for the international community. In that regard, we would like to highlight the actions of those three statesmen, who have put the supreme interests of their peoples and humankind ahead of their ideological convictions. We have before us a unique opportunity that should not be missed to achieve the pacification and non-proliferation of the Korean peninsula. The third inter-Korean Summit, held on 19 September in Pyongyang between Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae-in is a thread of hope. The agreements that were reached therein are another sign of the will to pursue rapprochement and good intentions in the search for peace and understanding. The intention of the two Koreas to present a joint bid to host and organize the 2032 Olympic Games is a sign of a step in the right direction. Equatorial Guinea can only celebrate and encourage the two brother countries to continue their efforts in the search for understanding with the final objective of signing a peace agreement. We also encourage the two countries to continue to promote encounters and contact between families separated by the Korean War — a welcome step, as evidenced by the emotional and moving inter-Korean family reunion event in August. Finally, Equatorial Guinea likewise calls on the countries involved in the crisis on the Korean peninsula, those with influence in the region and the international community to refrain from any act that might hinder the negotiations. On the contrary, they should do everything possible to reach a satisfactory solution for all and avoid a situation where there are winners and losers. We call on the authorities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to comply with the resolutions of the Security Council so as to achieve the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of its nuclear and ballistic programmes and make that a success and a milestone in history. Equatorial Guinea stands ready to provide its small contribution in finding a definitive solution by offering our territory, with its excellent facilities, as a neutral site for a possible future meeting among all the parties involved in the crisis on the Korean peninsula.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden.

I am sure members vividly remembered when world leaders gathered here in New York one year ago for the General Assembly. The tensions on the Korean peninsula were alarmingly high and dangerous. Since then, positive historic progress has been made and we have new momentum, but substantial challenges remain. As much as we would like, this is neither a quick nor a simple process; it will take time. The unity of the Council has been decisive for the progress made so far, and continued unity will be critical. Your personal engagement, Secretary Pompeo, is very important. We thank you for that. The Security Council has shown strong resolve regarding the situation on the Korean peninsula, including by adopting numerous substantial resolutions by consensus. Sweden contributed to those efforts, including by consistently pushing for diplomatic solutions. Our resolve must now be geared towards making further progress with the two pronged approach. First, we need to effectively implement the six existing sanctions until the demands of the Council are met. There a widespread violations of the sanctions regime in a range of areas, including arms exports, the petroleum trade and financial transactions. We call on all Member States to fulfil their obligations and ensure full implementation. There is no doubt that the responsibility for the dire humanitarian situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea fundamentally rests with the Government. At the same time, there are concerns about indirect negative impact of sanctions. Enhanced efforts are therefore needed to ensure that the humanitarian exemptions are safeguarded. A generation of North Koreans must not be lost due to malnutrition and lack of medicines. Secondly, we must continue to encourage and support diplomatic efforts. Progress in the inter-Korean dialogue is very encouraging. Important agreements, including most recently in the summit in Pyongyang last week, have been achieved, and the summit between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in Singapore in June was indeed significant. All parties must now work to maintain momentum and build trust and confidence. A step-by-step approach is needed to achieve complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization. For the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that means translating its commitments into concrete undertakings without delay. It is important that the International Atomic Energy Association be given a role early in the process. Creative diplomacy will continue to be critical, and the parties should explore ways to move from the armistice towards a peace agreement. The need for regional collaborative arrangements, including on security, as we have heard others say here, is evident. An international framework that deals with all the different aspects and can contribute to sustainability is essential. We welcome the support of the Secretary-General of the United Nations system. My country, with its presence in Pyongyang, and as a long-standing member of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, will continue to assist diplomatic efforts. The situation on the Korean peninsula has far- reaching implications for international peace and security. It is also vital for good neighbourly relations in North-East Asia. Recent progress has shown that it is possible to diffuse tensions through dialogue and cooperation, and that should be recognized by the Security Council. The newfound opportunity should be seized. We must now work together and stay united towards a peaceful, prosperous and nuclear-weapon-free Korean peninsula.

I now give the floor to the representative of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

On this occasion, as President Evo Morales Ayma said in yesterday’s meeting (see S/PV.8362), the issue of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons is one of the most important on the Security Council’s agenda, and therefore of special importance for my country. Bolivia is part of the first densely populated region in the world to declare itself free of nuclear weapons, just over 50 years ago, through the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America — the Treaty of Tlatelolco. Moreover, Bolivia has enshrined in its Constitution the prohibition of the manufacture and use of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons on the Bolivian territory, as well as the internment, transit and deposit of nuclear and toxic waste. In that regard, we have signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. For that reason, we reiterate our call on all States that have not yet done so, in particular the so-called nuclear-weapon States, to sign that important Treaty, because the best way to fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is by guaranteeing their total prohibition by all State and non-State actors. Bolivia once again calls on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to stop and dismantle its programme for the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, with the ultimate goal of achieving complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the entire Korean peninsula. The year 2017 was one of the most intense years in the Security Council regarding the issue of non-proliferation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. After the nuclear test in September of that year and multiple ballistic missile tests, the Security Council unanimously adopted three resolutions, which not only imposed increasingly harsh sanctions on that country but also expressed the prevailing need for peaceful solutions to the conflict on the Korean peninsula. In that context, we consider that the imposition of sanctions is fulfilling part of its objectives to create opportunities to bring the parties to the negotiating table in order to resume the dialogue to reach a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution that leads to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Bolivia reiterates its commitment to comply with those resolutions and all resolutions issued by this organ. Since the beginning of 2018, and thanks to the political will of the different parties involved, the situation in the Korean peninsula has undergone positive changes. Bolivia, as a pacifist state, promoter of the culture of dialogue and peaceful settlement of disputes, welcomes the strengthening of the inter-Korean dialogue, which so far this year has already had three high-level meetings between Presidents Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un. The result of those meetings, which were based on sincere dialogue based on mutual respect, were very remarkable. For example, the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula, which calls to suspend all hostile acts in all areas, is a very powerful manifestation of the will of the parties in building mutual trust and in strengthening relations that seek peace, harmony and prosperity. We must point out that those conversations had more concrete results, such as the halting of ballistic missile tests, the dismantling of the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site and the reunification of families separated for more than 60 years as a result of conflict, among others. More recently, at the Pyongyang summit, they agreed to permanently dismantle the Tongchang-ri ballistic missile engine and launch-test site, and the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center. That opened up the possibility of a fourth meeting between both leaders in the city of Seoul, which would be quite an event and a clear sign of the strengthening of mutual trust. We highlight the holding of the summit between the Chairman of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the President of the United States last June in Singapore. I reiterate that such rapprochement should serve to build mutual trust between the parties with the ultimate goal of achieving the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and building a lasting and stable peace regime, to which the suspension of military exercises will contribute. With regard to sanctions, we insist that they should not be an end in themselves; in that respect, we express our concern about the possible adverse effect that they could have on the population of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Any action by the Council must not diminish the living conditions of local populations, while highlighting the important work done by the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) and facilitating exceptions for the importation of products for humanitarian purposes. Likewise, we reiterate our rejection of any unilateral action and any type of imposition of unilateral sanctions. In conclusion, we emphasize again that there is no military solution to this conflict; only a diplomatic solution based on dialogue and consultations will allow us to achieve the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and allow us to build a sustainable peace regime in that region.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.

I thank you very much, Mr. President, for convening this meeting and for the opportunity to speak to the Security Council. As you state, Mr. President, we are indeed at the dawn of a new day with regard to the challenge of North Korea’s denuclearization. It is useful to take a step back and to realize just how new a day it is. Barely a year ago here in the Council, we were counting the numbers of North Korea’s nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches and calling for united action to bring North Korea to the right side of history. At the time, the thought of President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un shaking hands and holding a summit would have been considered a daydream. It would have been a fantasy to imagine President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim Jong Un on top of Mount Paekdu taking photos together. But here we are, and we have a different set of numbers to ponder: three inter-Korean summits and the first-ever United States-North Korea summit in a matter of five months, with more likely to follow in the months to come. Allow me to quickly recap the milestone developments on the Korean peninsula that have brought us to this point. They started with North Korea’s participation in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, in February and March, to which the North Korean leader sent a high-level delegation. That was quickly followed by the visit of President Moon Jae-in’s special envoy to Pyongyang in early March, who came back with first-hand confirmation of Chairman Kim’s intentions on denuclearization. In April, North Korea took a step forward by announcing that it would discontinue nuclear tests as well as ballistic missile tests of intercontinental range. It also announced that it would dismantle its nuclear test site, which it did a month later. On 27 April, the two Koreas held an inter-Korean summit — the first in more than a decade. In the outcome, the Panmunjom Declaration, the two sides agreed to actively cooperate for the establishment of a permanent and stable peace regime on the Korean peninsula, and confirmed the common goal of realizing a nuclear-free Korean peninsula through complete denuclearization. At the first-ever United States-North Korea summit, on 12 June, the top leaders of the two countries also confirmed the common goal of building a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean peninsula, and the North Korean leader reaffirmed his commitment to complete denuclearization. Last week, President Moon Jae-in visited Pyongyang for his third summit meeting with Chairman Kim. They discussed at length the denuclearization challenge, including concrete ways to bring it about. For the first time in his own voice, the North Korean leader stated his commitment to turn the Korean peninsula into a land of peace, free of nuclear weapons and threat — and that at a joint press conference with President Moon Jae-in, which was broadcast live to the rest of the world. More specifically, in the Pyongyang Joint Declaration, North Korea announced that it will permanently dismantle its Dongchang-ri missile engine test site and launch platform under the observation of experts from relevant countries, and indicated its willingness to take additional measures, such as the permanent dismantlement of the nuclear facilities at Yongbyon, as the United States takes corresponding measures. Hopes are now high that the upcoming United States-North Korea negotiations will produce more concrete outcomes. The international community has been able to bring North Korea back to the dialogue through a well- measured combination of diplomatic tools. In particular, the Security Council played a critical role. The Council unanimously adopted a series of sanctions in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations, and the international community acted unity in fully implementing them, thereby sending a clear message to North Korea that the pursuit of its nuclear weapons programme will never be accepted. But at the same time, the door for dialogue was kept open to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table. Eventually, the will of the international community prevailed, and North Korea changed course and came to the path of dialogue and peaceful resolution. In the past few months, it has taken a series of “for the first-time” actions that were unthinkable only a year ago. As for the Government of the Republic of Korea, we are committed to continuing to work with the international community to ensure that the Council’s sanctions are implemented faithfully, even as we continue to engage North Korea to facilitate substantial progress towards complete denuclearization. We are also furthering inter-Korean dialogue to solidify the momentum for reconciliation and better relations. That includes implementing the comprehensive military agreement signed in Pyongyang, which aims to eliminate the threat of war and prevent accidental clashes. Last week, while in North Korea, many of us joined President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim on their visit to Mount Paekdu. As the highest point on the Korean peninsula, that mountain bears a very special meaning for all Koreans. The microclimate of Mount Paekdu makes the weather very unpredictable — sunny and clear one moment, but foggy and drizzly the next. We were there in stunningly clear sunny and clear weather. But that was probably the exception rather than the norm. Our path to the complete denuclearization and the establishment of a permanent peace on the Korean peninsula might prove likewise — uneasy periods of uncertainty and weariness interspersed with moments of a step change in progress and clear visibility towards our goal. But, in the longer scheme of things, comparing where we were a year ago and where we are today, the situation has definitively become clearer and visibility has been greatly enhanced. The change has been possible because of bold, far-sighted and determined leadership, much of which has rested on you, Secretary Pompeo, and the unity of the international community. As long as we stay this course, I am confident that the months ahead will take us even closer to our shared goal of realizing a nuclear-free Korean peninsula that is permanently at peace.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.

I would first like to extend my sincere gratitude to you, Secretary Pompeo, for your tireless efforts on North Korean issues. You have not only brought this meeting together to reaffirm our collective determination to tackle these pressing issues, but you have also been selflessly dedicated to achieving the complete denuclearization of North Korea for the good of us all. I would also like to pay tribute to my counterpart from the Republic of Korea, Minister Kang, for her leadership and hard work. Japan welcomes and supports the ongoing diplomatic efforts, including the historic United States- North Korea summit held in Singapore in June, as well as the three inter-Korean summits held this year, as a step towards reaching a comprehensive resolution of outstanding issues involving North Korea. It is my greatest hope that those efforts will lead to the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges by North Korea, which is a common goal that we all share in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions. Japan will spare no effort to realize that goal. Nevertheless, we are acutely aware that the most recent report of the International Atomic Energy Agency expressed grave concern that North Korea is continuing its nuclear programme. What we seek is for North Korea to seize this unprecedented opportunity and take decisive and irreversible steps towards complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement. The international community should come together to assist the diplomatic efforts that are under way and encourage North Korea to make a strategic decision to fulfil its international obligations and commitments. In doing so, it is critical for us to remain united so as to ensure the full implementation of the relevant resolutions that the Council has unanimously adopted. I am convinced that there is no better way for us to support the current diplomatic process. We should also be aware of several important incidents. The Government of Japan shares the view of the United States Government and some other partner countries that the 2018 annual cap for petroleum products has already been breached. It is important that all Member States immediately stop supplying those products to North Korea, pursuant to the relevant Security Council resolutions. There are also continued reports of increasingly sophisticated efforts to evade and circumvent measures based on the relevant Security Council resolutions, including through what are known as ship-to-ship transfers and the selling of fishing rights. The very authority of the decisions made by the Council is at stake. It is our obligation to stop sanction-evasion activities. Last but not least, between Japan and North Korea lie issues that must be resolved immediately. Japan is determined to directly engage with North Korea and use every possible means at our disposal towards achieving the immediate resolution of the issues. North Korea is blessed with great potential and is well placed to shape a brighter future for itself if it takes the right path. North Korea enjoys an abundance of resources and a hardworking labour force. This is an important moment, and I strongly urge North Korea to seize this unique opportunity. Only North Korea that can make that happen. In order to achieve lasting peace and stability in North-East Asia and beyond, while protecting the current international non-proliferation regime, it is absolutely imperative to realize the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges by North Korea. To that end, let us unite in renewing our clear and unwavering commitment to the full implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions.

Before adjourning this last scheduled meeting of the Council for the month of September, on behalf of the United States, Ambassador Haley and our entire delegation here in New York, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to the members of the Council, the Permanent Representatives, their respective staff, the Secretariat’s staff, the interpreters, the recorders and security for the excellent assistance they have provided during this very busy but highly productive month. We also greatly appreciate members’ support of our goal of transparency during this month, while keeping our briefings and discussions open and available to the world to see and hear. Ultimately, the Council is accountable to every citizen in the international community as we strive to foster stability, maintain security and preserve peace across the world. Our open proceedings will allow history to judge us fairly and truthfully and, we hope, with an understanding of the sincerity of our endeavours here. I therefore thank everyone once again. As we end our presidency, I wish the delegation of Bolivia good luck for the month of October.