United Nations: Russia vetoed a UN resolution on Thursday, effectively abolishing the monitoring of UN sanctions against North Korea by a panel of UN experts. The Security Council resolution sponsored by the United States would have extended the mandate of the panel for a year, but Russia's veto will halt its operations.
The vote in the 15-member council was 13 in favour, Russia against and China abstaining. Russia's UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told the council before the vote that Western nations are trying to strangle North Korea and sanctions have proven irrelevant and detached from reality in reining in its nuclear programme. The resolution does not alter the sanctions, which remain in force.
