Tillerson Says Russia Is Not 'Fully Implementing' North Korea Sanctions

On January 17, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson accused Russia of not fully implementing all United Nations sanctions against North Korea. Tillerson told reporters on Wednesday that the Russian government is withholding the implementation of certain measures proposed by the UN and has encountered problems with others. He did not provide specific details but added, 'It has become clear to us that they are not adhering to all sanctions, and there is evidence that suggests they may also be encountering difficulties in implementing some measures.' Tillerson made these remarks while returning from a Vancouver meeting with reporters. On January 16, 20 countries agreed at a meeting in Vancouver, Canada, to intensify sanctions against North Korea to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program. China and Russia, permanent members of the UN Security Council who can veto its resolutions, did not attend the meeting in Canada. Criticism had previously been directed at Moscow and Beijing, with both accused of not fully complying with international resolutions. Russia and China have denied these accusations. China, in response to the Vancouver meeting, accused the United States and Canada of harboring a 'Cold War mentality.' Russia has not yet responded to Tillerson's new accusations.