[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 26 (Monday, February 25, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONDEMNING NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR TEST

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 15, 2013

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 65 and to 
thank Representatives Royce, Engel and Ros-Lehtinen for their 
leadership on this important issue and for working together to bring 
this bipartisan resolution to the floor today. H. Res. 65 condemns the 
government of North Korea for its flagrant and repeated violations of 
multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, for its repeated 
provocations that threaten international peace and for its test of a 
nuclear device on February 12, 2013.
  Since 2006, the U.N. Security Council has passed three resolutions 
condemning North Korea for its illegal missile tests, most recently the 
resolution passed last month. Then, on Tuesday, in further defiance of 
U.N. resolutions, the North Korean government detonated an underground 
nuclear device. Taken together, these events are clear indications of 
North Korea's flagrant disregard for international law, regional 
stability and for the welfare of its own people.
  Instead of feeding the millions of North Koreans who are starving, 
the government chooses to squander what little resources it possesses 
on an illegal nuclear weapons program. Its actions are reckless and 
dangerous and the international community cannot stand by silently as 
it continues to oppress its people to deny their human rights and 
political liberties and to permit them to suffer material deprivation 
just so that they can pursue a nuclear weapons program at their 
expense.
  I stand with my colleagues in condemnation of the government of North 
Korea for its reckless disregard for international law, for threat its 
actions pose to the stability of the region and for its contempt for 
the welfare of its own people. And I call on China, as a party of the 
Six-Party Talks and the closest ally of North Korea, to use its 
considerable influence to encourage the North Koreans to abandon their 
illegal nuclear weapons program.

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