Japan, U.S. to shelve seeking additional U.N. sanctions on N. Korea

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NEW YORK, April 2 Kyodo -
Japan and the United States plan to shelve their proposal to seek the adoption
of a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for additional sanctions on North
Korea in the event it launches a ballistic missile, U.N. diplomatic sources
said Thursday.
The two countries intend instead to propose a resolution seeking reinforcement
of the effectiveness of existing sanctions against Pyongyang, which has said it
plans to launch a rocket to put a satellite into orbit between Saturday and
Wednesday, the sources said.
Tokyo and Washington took into account that North Korea is strongly insisting
the rocket will be loaded with a satellite and that the Security Council's
Resolution 1718 adopted in 2006 already covers sanctions against North Korea to
some extent, they said.
They apparently determined it would be more meaningful to seek the steady
implementation of existing measures under this resolution rather than calling
for new sanctions, also taking into consideration the cautious positions of
China and Russia.
Beijing and Moscow, both permanent veto-wielding members of the Security
Council, have apparently shown reluctance to agree to new sanctions if the
launch turns out to be for placing a satellite into orbit.
The envisioned resolution to be presented to the Security Council shortly after
North Korea actually conducts the launch will say clearly that the action
violates past resolutions adopted by the world body, including Resolution 1718,
the sources said.
It is expected to avoid directly condemning North Korea by name, in
consideration of China's stance, and instead express concern over launching a
missile, they said.
While North Korea has said it will launch a rocket to put a satellite into
orbit, Japan, South Korea and the United States suspect the launch is a cover
for the test-firing of a long-range ballistic missile.
The three countries have affirmed they will consider proposing a new U.N.
Security Council resolution in response to any launch by North Korea,
regardless of whether it is for a missile or a satellite, as such an action
would violate the Security Council resolution.
But if Japan and the United States were to seek additional sanctions, the move
could be met by objections from China and Russia and possibly lead to a
division within the Security Council.
Resolution 1718, adopted unanimously in 2006 after North Korea conducted
missile and nuclear tests, bans Pyongyang from all activities related to its
ballistic missile program.
It also calls on all U.N. members to impose wide-ranging economic and
diplomatic sanctions on North Korea, including a ban on exports of luxury goods
as well as large conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction.
Although the resolution asks member states to submit reports on what measures
they actually took, not even half of them have presented such a document,
leading critics to note that it lacks effectiveness.
==Kyodo