A draft resolution that would expand sanctions against North Korea over its latest nuclear test will be submitted by the United States to the U.N. Security Council on Thursday, a spokesman for the U.S. mission to the United Nation said.
"Ambassador (Samantha) Power intends to submit for consideration by the Security Council a draft sanctions resolution in response to (North Korea's) recent nuclear test and subsequent proscribed ballistic missile launch," spokesman Kurtis Cooper said in a statement.
"We look forward to working with the council on a strong and comprehensive response to the DPRK's (North Korea's) latest series of tests aimed at advancing their nuclear weapons program," he said.
A draft resolution had been agreed upon by China and the United States on Wednesday, said the council diplomats. Both the countries were hopeful of putting the draft to vote in the 15-nation council in the coming days.
Following Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test on January 6, the two veto powers had been negotiating on the text for the past seven weeks.
"It's a substantive, long, full draft," a senior council diplomat said.
"Important progress" had been made on the resolution and that "hopefully consensus can be reached soon", said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying in Beijing.
"We hope and believe this new resolution can help effectively constrain North Korea from further developing its nuclear missile program," Hua told a regular press briefing on Thursday.
Diplomats said that the draft resolution had been formulated with the aim of calling for the blacklisting of a number of individuals and entities. However the diplomats were reluctant to provide further details.
It is expected that amongst the sanctioned entities would be North Korea's Ministry of Atomic Energy Industry and its National Aerospace Development Agency or 'NADA', the body responsible for February's rocket launch, South Korea's Yonhap news media reported.
Yonhap said that also included in the blacklist would be the secretive General Reconnaissance Bureau, already sanctioned by the United States for its suspected role in the 2014 cyber attack on Sony Pictures.
The U.N. press office said that the UN Security Council is scheduled to discuss the U.N. North Korea sanctions regime on Thursday at 3 p.m. (2000 GMT).
With the US urging harsh punitive measures and Beijing emphasizing dialogue and milder U.N. steps confined to non-proliferation, China and the United States have had different views on how strong the response should be to North Korea since Pyongyang's nuclear test last month.
Limiting North Korean access to international ports was among the measures Washington was pushing Beijing to accept Western diplomats told the press.
North Korean banks' access to the international financial system was also targeted by and wanted to be included with tightened restrictions in the sanction list by the United States, the diplomats said.
Due to its multiple nuclear tests and rocket launches, UN sanctions have been in place against North Korea since 2006. Pyongyang is banned from importing and exporting nuclear and missile technology and is not allowed to import luxury goods in addition to a U.N. arms embargo.
(Source:www.reuters.com)
"Ambassador (Samantha) Power intends to submit for consideration by the Security Council a draft sanctions resolution in response to (North Korea's) recent nuclear test and subsequent proscribed ballistic missile launch," spokesman Kurtis Cooper said in a statement.
"We look forward to working with the council on a strong and comprehensive response to the DPRK's (North Korea's) latest series of tests aimed at advancing their nuclear weapons program," he said.
A draft resolution had been agreed upon by China and the United States on Wednesday, said the council diplomats. Both the countries were hopeful of putting the draft to vote in the 15-nation council in the coming days.
Following Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test on January 6, the two veto powers had been negotiating on the text for the past seven weeks.
"It's a substantive, long, full draft," a senior council diplomat said.
"Important progress" had been made on the resolution and that "hopefully consensus can be reached soon", said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying in Beijing.
"We hope and believe this new resolution can help effectively constrain North Korea from further developing its nuclear missile program," Hua told a regular press briefing on Thursday.
Diplomats said that the draft resolution had been formulated with the aim of calling for the blacklisting of a number of individuals and entities. However the diplomats were reluctant to provide further details.
It is expected that amongst the sanctioned entities would be North Korea's Ministry of Atomic Energy Industry and its National Aerospace Development Agency or 'NADA', the body responsible for February's rocket launch, South Korea's Yonhap news media reported.
Yonhap said that also included in the blacklist would be the secretive General Reconnaissance Bureau, already sanctioned by the United States for its suspected role in the 2014 cyber attack on Sony Pictures.
The U.N. press office said that the UN Security Council is scheduled to discuss the U.N. North Korea sanctions regime on Thursday at 3 p.m. (2000 GMT).
With the US urging harsh punitive measures and Beijing emphasizing dialogue and milder U.N. steps confined to non-proliferation, China and the United States have had different views on how strong the response should be to North Korea since Pyongyang's nuclear test last month.
Limiting North Korean access to international ports was among the measures Washington was pushing Beijing to accept Western diplomats told the press.
North Korean banks' access to the international financial system was also targeted by and wanted to be included with tightened restrictions in the sanction list by the United States, the diplomats said.
Due to its multiple nuclear tests and rocket launches, UN sanctions have been in place against North Korea since 2006. Pyongyang is banned from importing and exporting nuclear and missile technology and is not allowed to import luxury goods in addition to a U.N. arms embargo.
(Source:www.reuters.com)