UN powers propose tougher North Korea sanctions
Western powers have reached agreement with North Korea’s key allies on a United Nations proposal that would impose tough new sanctions on the reclusive communist nation’s weapons exports and allow inspections of suspect cargo in ports and on the high seas.
The draft resolution, which must still be approved by the UN Security Council, is aimed at preventing North Korea from obtaining and exporting material and know-how to produce nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles – and from getting the money to finance the programme.
US ambassador Susan Rice presented the draft resolution to the 15-member council yesterday, calling it “a very strong, very credible” response to North Korea’s second nuclear test on May 25 in defiance of a security council resolution adopted after its first underground atomic blast in October 2006.
“This sanctions regime will bite, and bite in a meaningful way,” she said. “We think that the message that the council will send should it adopt this resolution is that North Korea’s behaviour is unacceptable, they must pay a price.”
The draft comes even as North Korea appears increasingly belligerent about possible sanctions. On Monday, Pyongyang’s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper reiterated that the country would consider any sanctions a declaration of war and respond with “due corresponding self-defence measures”. On Tuesday the country said it would use nuclear weapons in a “merciless offensive” if provoked.
The provision most likely to anger the North Koreans calls on countries to inspect suspect cargo heading to or from North Korea on land, at airports and ports – and to stop ships carrying suspect material if the country whose flag the vessel is flying gives approval.
If the country refuses to give approval, it must direct the vessel “to an appropriate and convenient port for the required inspection by the local authorities”.
The draft does not, however, authorise the use of military force, a demand by North Korean allies China and Russia that was also in the 2006 resolution.
Agreement on the draft resolution came after two weeks of closed-door negotiations by ambassadors from the five permanent security council nations - the US, Britain and France, China and Russia – as well as the two countries most closely affected by the test, Japan and South Korea.
Turkey’s UN ambassador Baki Ilkin, president of the security council this month, said the nine countries that were not part of the negotiations would send the draft to their governments and meet again after they heard back.
With the five veto-wielding permanent members already on board, quick council approval is expected, though probably with some changes to the text.
Past sanctions imposed by the UN, the US and other countries have had little effect in dissuading North Korea from pursuing its nuclear ambitions.
Japan’s UN ambassador Yukio Takasu said the international community has “a responsibility to make this sanctions regime very effective”.
The draft would have the security council condemn “in the strongest terms” the May 25 nuclear test “in violation and flagrant disregard” of the 2006 sanctions resolution.
It would also demand a halt to any further nuclear tests or missile launches and reiterate the council’s demand that the North abandon all nuclear weapons, return to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, allow UN nuclear inspections, and rejoin six-party talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear programme.
Russia’s UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Moscow shared “the frustration and the concern” of all council members over North Korea’s defiance.
“We are clearly facing a situation which poses clear proliferation risks,” he said. “We are doing it with a very heavy heart ... because having sanctions is not our choice. But some political message must be sent.”
The 2006 resolution imposed an arms embargo on heavy weapons, a ban on material that could be used in missiles or weapons of mass destruction and a ban on luxury goods favoured by North Korea’s ruling elite.
It also ordered an asset freeze and travel ban on companies and individuals involved in the country’s nuclear and weapons programmes.
The new draft calls on the 192 UN member states to implement these measures and asks the council committee monitoring sanctions to designate additional companies and individuals within 30 days that could face an asset freeze and travel ban.
