UN Resolution on NK Nuclear Test
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By WARREN HOGE from New York Times
UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 13 — The United States pressed for a Saturday vote on a Security Council resolution that would impose sanctions on North Korea for its reported nuclear test, but questions from China and Russia on Friday evening cast the timing and possibly the content of the document into doubt.
The terms of the resolution had already been softened three times this week to meet objections from
John R. Bolton, the American ambassador to the United Nations, said the new problems appeared “technical” rather than “substantial,” but said they would require another conference of
While the wording of the resolution was still being worked out, American intelligence officials said on Friday evening that they had found radioactive material in air samples taken over the region, providing more evidence that
The new draft resolution dropped or softened several provisions to placate
Mr. Bolton indicated that one area of dispute remained the methods and legalities of how to inspect cargo. The new draft resolution limits the weapons ban to large-size arms, military systems and unconventional weapons.
The measure, drafted by the
It also bars
Kenzo Oshima, the Japanese ambassador to the United Nations and president of the Security Council, announced the Council would gather at
“An overwhelming majority of the Council members want to vote as soon as possible,” Mr. Bolton said. “They still think it is important to send a swift and strong signal, and I’m confident we’re going to be able to do that.”
Wang Guangya, the Chinese ambassador, said, “It all depends on the final text, because we are not at the final text yet.”
The
Mr. Bolton said the United States was “very satisfied” with the document as it stood Friday morning and was prepared to vote for it immediately.
But Mr. Wang, while asserting his country was happy with the progress that had been made, said his country was still studying the text before officially pronouncing on it. “With progress we are always satisfied, but if we work harder, we might make more progress,” he said.
Vitaly I. Churkin, the Russian ambassador, said, “I think we are on the right track, but we are not there yet.”
In
The trip, he said, is “an opportunity for her in the region to reaffirm and talk about the strength of our existing alliances there, and also to have a bit more of a wider conversation with others in the region about the current situation, about the security situation, and also to talk broadly about nonproliferation efforts.”
Senior State Department officials portrayed the United Nations momentum toward a resolution as evidence of a united, multilateral front agreeing to punish
“So the first issue we need to do is to make clear that the sense of outrage and condemnation by the international community to have a resolution in the Security Council, which will not only be a resolution condemning North Korea, but actually a resolution with some teeth to it,” said Christopher Hill, the assistant secretary of state for east Asian and Pacific affairs.
“North Korea needs to understand that this is indeed a very, very costly decision that will leave North Korea far worse off and far more isolated than ever before,” said Mr. Hill, speaking at a conference in Washington. “We need to give that message very clearly and make sure that
The resolution condemns the test on Oct. 9 as a “flagrant disregard” of Security Council warnings, orders it not to conduct nuclear or missile tests, and urges the North to return to six-nation talks with
It freezes funds overseas of people or businesses connected to the unconventional weapons programs and bans the sale of luxury goods to
“I think the North Korean population has been losing height and weight over the years,” Mr. Bolton said. “Maybe this will be a little diet for Kim Jong-il,” he said, referring to the North Korean dictator.
Under the resolution, member states are to report to the Security Council within 30 days on steps they have taken to comply with the its demands.
The resolution still invokes Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, which makes mandatory economic and diplomatic sanctions.
But in a formulation used in July to obtain a unanimous vote on the resolution condemning the North Korean missile launches, the text added a reference to Article 41 of the chapter, which permits only “means not involving the use of military force.”
In another change designed to gain Chinese and Russian support, the resolution now says the inspection process will be “cooperative” with local authorities. Both countries were sensitive to such interdiction being done near their coasts and borders, but Mr. Bolton said that though the inspections covered air, sea and land shipments, he expected most actions would be performed in port.
As for the agreement struck to limit the arms embargo to specific weapons like missiles, tanks, attack helicopters, artillery systems, warships and combat aircraft, Mr. Bolton said, “That would place under embargo the most dangerous, most sophisticated, most lethal weapons, so that’s a substantial step forward, and, as I say, we’re happy to accept that as a compromise.”
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