World powers moved closer on Friday to a response to North Korea’s nuclear test, with a United Nations draft resolution that retains economic and weapons sanctions but specifically rules out military force.
”I don’t want to say we’ve reached agreement yet, but many, many of the significant differences have been closed, very much to our satisfaction,” United States Ambassador John Bolton told reporters.
North Korea has said it would consider tough UN measures as tantamount to a declaration of war and would respond in kind.
As members of the UN Security Council debated in New York, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun landed in Beijing for talks with Chinese leaders on their isolated and defiant neighbour.
China and South Korea have more sway over Pyongyang than any other countries, but the North’s announcement on Monday that it had conducted a nuclear test has shaken their policies of political and economic engagement.
China and Russia, which both hold veto power on the Security Council, baulked at some of the tough measures in an early draft resolution, forcing a US compromise draft that could go to a vote as early as Saturday.
Diplomats said the fate of the new draft largely depends on Beijing.
China is anxious to avoid driving North Korea, with its 1,2-million-strong army, further into a corner, fearing it could trigger instability on the Korean peninsula, which has been divided for more than half a century.
The revised draft, obtained by Reuters, eliminates a blanket arms embargo but bans heavy conventional weapons such as armoured combat vehicles, attack helicopters, warships and missiles.
It also retains a provision that allows nations to inspect cargo moving to and from North Korea to prevent trafficking in nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. The draft says such action should be ”cooperative”, but does not elaborate.
Fears of instabliity
China was unusually critical of North Korea after the announcement by Pyongyang that it conducted an underground test.
But as its old Communist ally and neighbour, China also fears instability that could result if pressure on North Korea causes the impoverished country to collapse, potentially sending a wave of refugees across their 1 400km border.
Officials in China and South Korea have said they are still hoping to engage North Korea, bringing it back to six-country talks aimed at ending its nuclear arms programme.
The talks, which China hosted and which also group the two Koreas, Japan, the United States and Russia, have been on hold for nearly a year.
”I think we need to talk about sanctions that will bring about the result that South Korea and China want, not some emotional response on the spur of the moment,” South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted a South Korean official as saying.
Roh and Chinese President Hu Jintao were holding talks on Friday morning, and Roh will also meet Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on his one-day visit to Beijing.
Japan, by contrast, has urged a tougher response to North Korea. Its Cabinet on Friday formally approved sanctions against the North, including banning imports and blocking North Korean ships from entering Japanese ports.
Pyongyang has threatened to retaliate if Tokyo goes ahead with the measures, which were decided by its top security panel on Wednesday but are largely symbolic given the lack of strong economic ties between the two countries.
The steps, adding to sanctions Tokyo had already imposed following North Korea’s firing of a salvo of missiles in July, also include prohibiting the entry of North Korean nationals except those living in Japan.
”These actions by North Korea are a grave threat to the peace and security of our country and international society and can never be permitted,” Japan’s Finance Minister Koji Omi said. – Reuters