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China Sticks with N.Korea at UN
No kidding. Really. Floored me too ...
China is apparently blocking any term or phrase in the UN Security Council that would point directly to North Korea as the culprit that sank the South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan in March.

The UNSC is debating how to hold the North to account for the torpedo attack. Already China finds that description too strong and wants it referred to as an "incident."

According to sources at the South Korean mission to the UN, the atmosphere at the UNSC was "tenser than expected" last Thursday, when China, which is North Korea's staunchest ally and as a permanent UNSC member has a veto, resisted any attempts to deal firmly with the North.

The North Korean UN mission has consistently used the term "incident." South Korea and China are reportedly engaged in a tug of war over the wording, which China consistently trying to water it down.

The UNSC has come up with nothing so far even though nearly a month has passed since the matter was referred to it and South and North Korea delivered separate briefings on the sinking. Even if a compromise is reached, any resulting UNSC chairman's statement is expected to lack teeth.
Posted by: Steve White 2010-07-06
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=300378