calendar>>February 13. 2009 Juche 98
International Community Called upon to Draw Lesson from International Disputes
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) -- Disputes can find successful solutions only when the parties concerned should be responsible for them and opt for their peaceful negotiated settlement in the national interests and in favor of the cause of global peace, says Rodong Sinmun Friday in a signed article.

Disputes occur primarily because of the wrong idea and policies of the imperialists and the dominationists who pursue their own interests while looking down upon other countries and nations and despising them and infringing upon their national interests, the article notes, and goes on:

Some countries met the unreasonable demands raised by the Western powers while depending on them in recent years. As a result, they found themselves in a serious situation characterized by contradictions among partisan and religious groups and bloody disputes. The reality teaches a lesson that peoples of those dispute-torn countries can never solve their problems if they depend on the Western powers and that the parties locked in disputes should sit face to face to seek correct principles and ways.

There should be no such practices as disregarding the voices of the parties locked in disputes and regarding only the voices of some specified forces as important. Moreover, such things as reckless sanctions and recourse to force aimed at interfering in the internal affairs should not be allowed.

Some forces seek to handle disputes as they please, taking them as golden opportunities for gratifying their own interests.

There have been not a few cases in which the United Nations Security Council allowed itself to be used for meeting the interests of some specified countries when handling international disputes. This resulted in ignoring the universally recognized important principles to be observed in the international relations such as respect for sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs.

There are such abnormal practices as imposing sanctions and pressure upon sovereign states under the pretext of "settling disputes" and openly handling issues beyond the mandate of the UNSC.

The UNSC should fully discharge its function and role as a responsible body of the UN obliged to substantially ensure international peace and security and solution to disputes. It should never be misused as a lever for justifying the moves for meeting the strategic interests of certain specified nations only.

Such high-handed measures as sanctions and use of force should be strongly rejected as they may trigger off disputes. To this end, it is necessary to set up a mechanism whereby the resolutions of the UNSC take effect only when they get approval of its General Assembly.

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