By Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS (Reuters) – The United States on Wednesday asked the UN Security Council to meet on North Korea after Pyongyang fired a ballistic missile at Japan, but diplomats said China and Russia oppose a public discussion of the 15-member body.
Nuclear-armed North Korea fired its farthest shot of a ballistic missile on Tuesday, sending it over Japan for the first time in five years, prompting a warning to residents there to protect themselves.
“We must limit the DPRK’s ability to advance its illegal ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programs,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Twitter after convening a public meeting of the Security Council.
The United Kingdom, France, Albania, Norway and Ireland joined the United States in ordering. North Korea is formally known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
However, China and Russia have told council colleagues they oppose a public meeting, arguing that the council’s reaction should be conducive to de-escalating the situation on the Korean peninsula, diplomats said.
It was not immediately clear whether the board would meet publicly or behind closed doors on Wednesday. Any significant action by the council is unlikely, diplomats say.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols)
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