July 04th, 2017
Washington, D.C. – Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity, released the below statement regarding North Korea’s test of a possible intercontinental ballistic missile that may be capable of reaching the US homeland.
“With each additional missile test by North Korea and weak response by the international community, we are moving further down the road of potential military conflict that would have catastrophic consequences. We need to use every diplomatic and economic tool we have now to prevent nuclear war.
“Today, I call on the global community to impose a complete economic embargo against this heinous regime in Pyongyang. Every nation of conscience should cut off all finance and trade with Pyongyang, with a few limited humanitarian exceptions, until such time that Pyongyang is willing to meet its international commitments to peacefully denuclearize. The United Nations Security Council should immediately endorse such an embargo in a new resolution, and make it binding on all nations.
“I am drafting bipartisan legislation that would ban any entity that does business with North Korea or its enablers from using the United States financial system. I commend the Trump Administration for its sanctions last week against entities aiding Pyongyang, including a Chinese financial institution, but this should be only a first step.
“Time for words is over. China can inflict the diplomatic pressure and serious economic damage to North Korea that could move Pyongyang toward peaceful denuclearization and Beijing should do so now. If China fails to act, as it has to date, its relationship with the United States cannot remain the same. Beijing now has a real decision to make – allow the dangerous pattern of escalation to continue or step up and help deter a potential nuclear war.†back...
“With each additional missile test by North Korea and weak response by the international community, we are moving further down the road of potential military conflict that would have catastrophic consequences. We need to use every diplomatic and economic tool we have now to prevent nuclear war.
“Today, I call on the global community to impose a complete economic embargo against this heinous regime in Pyongyang. Every nation of conscience should cut off all finance and trade with Pyongyang, with a few limited humanitarian exceptions, until such time that Pyongyang is willing to meet its international commitments to peacefully denuclearize. The United Nations Security Council should immediately endorse such an embargo in a new resolution, and make it binding on all nations.
“I am drafting bipartisan legislation that would ban any entity that does business with North Korea or its enablers from using the United States financial system. I commend the Trump Administration for its sanctions last week against entities aiding Pyongyang, including a Chinese financial institution, but this should be only a first step.
“Time for words is over. China can inflict the diplomatic pressure and serious economic damage to North Korea that could move Pyongyang toward peaceful denuclearization and Beijing should do so now. If China fails to act, as it has to date, its relationship with the United States cannot remain the same. Beijing now has a real decision to make – allow the dangerous pattern of escalation to continue or step up and help deter a potential nuclear war.†back...
