Korea tensions came close to 'war', says China diplomat
Korea tensions came close to 'war', says China diplomat
SOURCE: AFP
UNITED NATIONS: A top Chinese diplomat told a Security Council debate on Tuesday that hostilities between North and South Korea had come "close to fighting a war."
China's deputy UN ambassador Wang Min told a Security Council debate with youth from around the world that tensions between the North and South had been very high "especially in the past two days. It came close to fighting a war."
China has blocked Western attempts to condemn North Korea's November 23 artillery attack on a South Korean island which set off the new tensions, according to diplomats.
Wang said China and all 15 members of the Security Council wanted a peaceful end to the tensions, when asked about the Korean hostilities by a 14-year-old Chinese-American Wang Yuqi at the special debate with 150 teenagers.
"Their feud has gone on for decades, it did not start yesterday," Wang said. The two have remained at an official state of war since their 1950-53 conflict which was only halted with a truce.
"Therefore it is unlikely that the problems can be resolved overnight," he added.
"First of all we hope that they can remain calm, we hope that they will refrain from engaging in any conflict," Wang said.
"Next, what we hope for is for them to sit down to negotiations that will discuss how the problems between them can be addressed through peaceful means," Wang said.
