Mister President,

Germany aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union, but I would like to add some national remarks, and they are the following:
Russia´s veto against the extension of the mandate for the DPRK Panel of Experts is an extremely serious blow. It is a blow against our joint endeavor to prevent North Korea from illegally building up its nuclear and ballistic missile arsenal which threatens regional and global peace and stability.
The veto was a calculated and short-sighted assault on this established, authorized and widely appreciated UN monitoring instrument. The motivation is obvious: to protect Russia´s illegal, immoral and harmful weapons deals with the DPRK in order to continue its unlawful war of aggression against Ukraine. 13 members of the Security Council demonstrated, by their vote, that they have understood that context very clearly.
Once again, Russia does not live up to the responsibility of a Permanent Member of the Security Council. Once again, Russia misuses its veto power in order to pursue its unlawful war against Ukraine in violation of the United Nations Charter.
In doing so, it recklessly undermines the sanctions established by the Security Council itself as a reaction to DPRK’s grave violations of international non-proliferation regimes. It also recklessly creates severe risks for regional security and weakens international non-proliferation rules.

Mister President,

For many years the Panel of Experts has provided credible, fact-based and independent assessments to the 1718 Committee and to all UN Member States. The Panel was one crucial element of the DPRK sanctions regime and the wider international non-proliferation architecture. Without the valuable work of the Panel, the DPRK would have been able to build up its nuclear and missile programs at a much faster rate and in a much more sophisticated way.
The restrictive measures the Security Council has adopted in a series of subsequent resolutions remain in force. Today they are more necessary than ever, given that Pyongyang has shown no intention to discontinue its illegal nuclear and missile programs. To the contrary: the DPRK persists in activities that threaten regional security and global peace.
In order to improve the implementation of the measures the Security Council has agreed the Panel has brought forward a number of valuable suggestions. It is inconceivable that a permanent member of the Security Council agrees on measures but does prevent these measures from being implemented properly.

Mister President,

We should not allow that a permanent member of the Security Council misuses the veto in order to conceal its own illegal and destabilizing activities. This matter is not only important for the stability in the region, but for the credibility of the UN as a whole. Here at the General Assembly, let us stand united and strong against this flagrant misuse of the veto by Russia.

Thank you.