calendar>>May 11. 2012 Juch 101

DPRK Foreign Minister Slams UN's Application of Double Standards

Pyongyang, May 11 (KCNA) -- Now the UN has been abused for justifying the high-handed practices and application of double standards by a tiny handful of its member states instead of speaking for the general will of all countries, said DPRK Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun who is head of its delegation at the ministerial meeting of non-aligned countries in Egypt Wednesday.

It is pointed out in the draft final document presented to this meeting that in recent years the UNSC has kept silent or failed to take any measure concerning some issues while taking coercive measures or threatening to take as regards other matters of all a sudden, he said, and went on:

A typical example of this was the unreasonable action taken by the UNSC, again finding fault with the DPRK's launch of a scientific and technological satellite for peaceful purposes last April.

This was the height of the selective and arbitrary application of double standards as it wantonly violated not only the principle of sovereign equality stipulated in the universally recognized international law and the UN charter clarifying that the outer space should be freely developed or used by all the countries without any discrimination and, furthermore, the resolution adopted at the 15th NAM Summit which recognized common understanding and rights of the whole mankind to develop and use space for peaceful purposes.

The DPRK's satellite launch was an exercise of an independent and legitimate right pursuant to the universally recognized international law on the peaceful use of space including the Outer Space Treaty which reflects the general will of the international community which is above the UNSC's resolution.

The prevailing situation indicates that the UNSC has been reduced to a tool for high-handed and arbitrary practices overriding international law.

Today the DPRK has become a target of attack on account of its satellite launch but other member states of NAM may fall victim to the above-said practices in the future.

This proves once again the justice of the repeated call of NAM for reforming the anachronistic UNSC.

Extending deep thanks to the member states of NAM for supporting and encouraging the Korean people in their just cause of defending peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and achieving national reunification, Pak Ui Chun expressed expectation and belief that they would continue to voice positive support and solidarity in the future, too.