U.N. powers agree on draft North Korea sanctions

N Korea "not a target for attack"
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By Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - World powers on Wednesday agreed to expand sanctions to punish North Korea for its recent nuclear test and weapons program, as Russia said it expected the North to launch another provocative missile test.
The draft U.N. 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 U.N. 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 countries to inspect North Korea ships carrying suspicious cargo that might violate a partial U.N. trade and arms embargo.
In the latest version, the Security Council "calls upon" states to inspect such vessels on the high seas but does not demand it. However, the draft resolution would require countries to deny fuel to any suspicious North Korea ships and direct them to dock at "an appropriate and convenient port."
NEW MISSILE LAUNCH?
North Korea has angered the region and countries beyond in the past few weeks with missile launches, threats to attack the South and a nuclear test, prompting U.S. and South Korean forces to raise a military alert on the peninsula to one of its highest since the 1950-53 Korean War.
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 United States has also been pushing for a mandatory expansion of financial sanctions against Pyongyang. Another compromise with Russia and China led to the resolution urging, but not requiring, states to avoid new financial deals with North Korea except for humanitarian or development projects.
The resolution also expands a partial U.N. 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.
"This sanctions regime, if passed by the Security Council, will bite, and bite in a meaningful way," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told reporters.
Rice added that a total ban on North Korean arms exports, as called for in the draft, would cut off a significant source of revenue for Pyongyang. Continued...
Source: Reuters