Veto of sanctions against North Korea

China and Russia vetoed a UN resolution sponsored by the United States yesterday that would have imposed tough new sanctions on North Korea for its spate of intercontinental ballistic missile launches that can be used to deliver nuclear weapons. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-2 and marked a first serious division among the five veto-wielding permanent members of the UN’s most powerful body on a North Korea sanctions resolution. China and Russia told the Security Council after the vote that they oppose more sanctions, stressing that what’s needed now is renewed dialogue.