August 25, 2023
Thank you, Madame President, and thank you ASG Khiari for your remarks.
Albania strongly condemns the launch of a space vehicle by the DPRK regime carrying its first military reconnaissance satellite. This is the second failure in two months from Pyongyang to put into orbit a spy satellite. We further condemn the announcement of the DPRK for a third attempt of this kind in October.
Despite the fact that such efforts have failed so far, the biggest and the most worrisome is the regime’s failure to comply with its obligations under international law.
Such actions and statements are in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, which prohibit North Korea from testing any technology that can be used to build ballistic missiles, and that the regime openly challenges.
We deplore that the regime has immured itself into a posture of defiance to the international community and continues to pursue to strengthen and modernize DPRK’s military capabilities in an egregious behaviour which exacerbates the volatile security situation in the entire Korean Peninsula.
We echo the Secretary General’s call to the DPRK to cease these acts and to swiftly resume dialogue without preconditions.
This is yet another important occasion, at a critical time, for the Security Council to come together, to be united with a clear and strong message. Enough is Enough!
The Security Council resolution are not concept notes, non-papers or talking points. They are mandatory legal documents and the regime has an international obligation to comply with.
Therefore, any attempt to show understanding with the provocative and escalatory actions of the regime or whatever efforts to protect it in its dangerous course, has a direct and proven effect of emboldening the regime in its wrong course. It equals to providing Pyongyang a licence to breaching Security Council resolutions, violating a comprehensive sanctions regime and continue to be an unwarranted threat to peace and security.
Let’s face the truth, such conciliatory approach has failed in practice; it has not helped to bring the regime close to its obligations and has not led to any de-escalation. In short, it has not brought any sense of security for the people in the Korean Peninsula. Quite the contrary: it has convinced the regime that they could go away with crime. This is unacceptable, because it is wrong and dangerous. The warmongers in North Korea must know that actions have consequences.
We regret that the voice of the majority of the members of this Council calling for this body to react to illegal, unprovoked and reckless actions by the DPRK is not taken into consideration so far. By being disunited in this issue, the Council it failing its mandate and it is not discharging its core responsibility.
Therefore, we reiterate our position that not talking the talk to the regime of North Korea when they remain in a defiant, escalatory and dangerous behaviour, is not a contribution to peace and security.
In this respect, we wonder about the real impact and usefulness of the visit to Pyongyang of the Russian Minister of defence, amidst suspected and illegal arm deals with another country threatening its neighbours.
Madame President,
This is why we believe that the situation requires more than ever for the Security Council to respond with diplomatic tools, and a strong unified response to such a situation.
We don’t have to wait for the worst to happen to react. This is one of the best cases when prevention efforts should be fully explored.
All neighbouring countries, including the people of Japan and the Republic of Korea, need to be assured that the Council takes the threat posed by the DPRK regime seriously and is determined and committed to respond in a prompt and proper way.
Just a few days ago we discussed in this chamber the dire and worsening humanitarian situation due to the deplorable path chosen by the DPRK regime, to deny its population food they need, by providing itself weapons they don’t.
In concluding Madame President, let me reaffirm that we will continue to advocate for and support genuine efforts to address the threat posed by the DPRK through collective preventive diplomacy, and ensure that the regime ends fully, transparently, comprehensively, and irreversibly its WMD, ballistic and nuclear programme, and call on DPRK to give to diplomacy a chance.
It is high time for the Security Council to come together again, speak with one voice and be united in a clear response as soon as possible.