At historic UN debate, Pakistan urges dialogue to promote peace in restive Korean peninsula.

Pakistan has called for dialogue and negotiations to foster peace in the tension-ridden Korean peninsula, saying such a course must provide equal security for all States in the region.

"We remain opposed to any destabilizing actions that give rise to tensions on the Peninsula," Ambassador Aamir Khan, acting Pakistani permanent representative to UN, said Friday, while speaking at a first of its kind debate in the General Assembly.

The debate was held under new rules requiring the General Assembly to examine any veto wielded in the Security Council by one of its five permanent members. It was triggered after China and Russia vetoed a United States-backed Security Council draft resolution on 26 May aimed at tightening sanctions against North Korea over its renewed ballistic missile launches.

Both China and Russia defended their vetoes, blaming the United States for rising tensions on the Korean peninsula and insisting that what's needed now is dialogue between North Korea and the Biden administration. They also said that more sanctions would only increase the suffering of the Korean people.

In his remarks, Ambassador Aamir Khan said that Pakistan had consistently supported the endeavor to promote peace and stability in and around the Korean Peninsula through dialogue...