The New York Times’ Monday editorial page leads with an item dismissive of the Security Council’s role in resolving the North Korea missile crisis. The editorial board, however, may have spoken too soon. For one, Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns gave public assurances that the Security Council has the votes to go forward with a Chapter Seven resolution sanctioning North Korea. Meanwhile, Ambassador Bolton explained the delay in Security Council action today as part of a strategy to give the Chinese maximum room and leverage to coax North Korea back into the six party talks. And according to Bloomberg News, Ambassador Bolton even held out the possibility that the Security Council resolution could be tabled should North Korea rejoin the Six Party talks.

All this is to say that contrary to the Times, the Security Council has not been a sideshow. Rather, it is playing the central role of providing leverage to China and the United States as they work to resolve this crisis.

For all the flack that critics hurl at the United Nations, the crisis sparked by North Korea’s missile tests shows just how indispensable the United Nations can be during times of global emergency. As David E Sanger of the New York Times reports, there are few good policy options available to President Bush as he approaches North Korea’s nuclear saber-rattling. However, at the Security Council, Ambassador Bolton told reporters that Pyongyang was isolated, and that there is “broad and deep support” for a Japanese resolution to sanction North Korea over the tests. It’s clear that North Korea is under intense pressure right now. Indeed, whether it is intended or not, the Security Council affords the Permanent Five with the opportunity to play out a good cop/bad cop routine. And as Chief U.S. nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill visits Beijing to coordinate a strategy to revive the six party talks, this routine can no doubt add to the Council’s leverage over North Korea.

With US foreign policy in a bind over the missile tests, the United Nations Security Council is an attractive venue to provide a way for American policy makers to mitigate this crisis.