World powers agree on North Korea curbs
11 June, 2009
UNITED NATIONS: World powers on Wednesday agreed to expand sanctions to punish North Korea for its recent nuclear test and weapons programme, as Russia said it expected the North to launch another provocative missile test.
The draft UN sanctions resolution, written by the United States and endorsed by the four other permanent Security Council members, plus Japan and South Korea, was discussed at a closed-door meeting of the 15-nation Security Council.
“If all goes well we’re expecting a vote on the resolution on Friday,” a UN diplomat told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Delegations will now send the draft to their capitals to see if it is acceptable.
The agreement ended more than two weeks of closed-door negotiations. The United States, Britain, France, Japan and South Korea all demanded tough sanctions against Pyongyang for its May nuclear test but Russia and China held out for a milder resolution to avoid provoking North Korea.
The draft “condemns in the strongest terms” North Korea’s nuclear test last month and “demands that (it) not conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology”.
The end result reflected compromises to satisfy Chinese and Russian objections. Beijing and Moscow had opposed language in earlier drafts requiring all countries to inspect North Korea ships carrying suspicious cargo that might violate a partial UN trade and arms embargo.
In the latest version, the Security Council “calls upon” states to inspect suspicious sea, air and land cargoes but does not demand it. However, the draft resolution would require countries to deny fuel to any suspicious North Korean ships and direct them to dock at “an appropriate and convenient port”.
Once docked, the draft says local authorities would conduct a “required inspection” and must seize and destroy any cargo transported in violation of UN sanctions.Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin explained this point, saying that for the country controlling the port, “it is your responsibility and you are being called upon by the Security Council to do this inspection.”
Cranking up tension, Russia’s military said it had information on plans for another missile launch. “We have certain information about the type and characteristics of the missile. However, we do not have accurate data on the timing,” Interfax news agency quoted a senior military source as saying.
The resolution also expands a partial UN arms embargo to ban the export of all weapons by North Korea but allows Pyongyang to continue purchasing small arms, provided such sales are reported to the United Nations.
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