China says Japan over-reacts with UN resolution
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-07-12 10:57
China condemned a Japan-sponsored U.N. resolution to slap sanctions on North
Korea over its missile tests on Tuesday, calling it an over-reaction that would
split the Security Council.
The statement came as a top U.S. envoy flew into Beijing, seeking a briefing
on China's urgent efforts to resolve the crisis by diplomatic means.
The U.N. Security Council delayed a vote overnight on the resolution to
impose sanctions on the isolated state to allow time for a high-level Chinese
delegation to talk to Pyongyang.
"The Chinese side thinks the concerned draft resolution is an over-reaction.
If approved, it will aggravate contradictions and increase tension," Foreign
Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a news conference. "It will hurt efforts to
resume six-party talks as well as lead to the U.N. Security Council splitting."
Chinese President Hu Jintao told visiting North Korean parliamentarian Yang
Hyong Sop that China opposed any action that would stoke tension on the Korean
peninsula. State media said he urged all parties to take steps conducive to
peace and stability.
Senior U.S. diplomat Christopher Hill, Washington's top man on North Korea,
arrived back in the Chinese capital on Tuesday.
"We have the DPRK (North Korea) which, instead of coming to the six-party
process, is firing off missiles of all shapes and sizes, missiles that are aimed
at not just us but countries in the region," Hill told reporters at his hotel.
He said that he hoped to meet Chinese officials later on Tuesday, that he
wanted to see what "kind of leverage" Beijing had over Pyongyang and that he
hoped for progress in bringing North Korea back to the six-party talks on its
nuclear programme.
"At this point, the jury is still out, we don't know what the DPRK wants to
do."
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