THE UNITED Nations security council yesterday punished North Korea over last month’s underground nuclear test by imposing new sanctions, risking potential flashpoints at sea as it called on all members of the international community to stop and search its ships for weapons.
The resolution, which unusually was unanimous, bans all weapons exports from North Korea and the import of all but small arms. Securing a unanimous resolution shows the extent of the anger within the Chinese government over last month’s nuclear test. Normally it is difficult for the US, Britain and France, all members of the security council, to persuade China and, to a lesser extent, Russia, to take a tough line against North Korea.
“The additional measures are substantive and targeted in nature and clearly tied to ending the DPRK programme to create nuclear missiles,” Russian envoy Vitaly Churkin said after the vote.
“The attempt by the DPRK to create nuclear missiles not only doesn’t strengthen security but on the contrary ratchets up tension on the Korean peninsula.”
Last night, the US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, described the resolution as “unprecedented”. She said that the sanctions regime has “teeth that will bite”.
China strongly urged Pyongyang to promote denuclear-isation of the Korean peninsula. China’s envoy, Zhang Yesui, said the move showed the “firm opposition” of the international community to North Korea’s nuclear weapons ambitions.
While China and Russia are concerned about North Korea’s nuclear armoury, they do not want to do anything that would precipitate the fall of the Pyongyang government and lead to the reunification of the peninsula.
Pyongyang’s reaction is difficult to predict. The regime could retaliate by conducting more tests of nuclear weapons or of long-range missiles, or, given its tendency for sudden switches in tactics, it could even return to the negotiating table.
The most controversial part of the resolution is the stop-and-search powers. The US, Britain and France wanted to make it mandatory for all states to search North Korean ships, but China and Russia had this watered down.
The resolution only “calls” on states to carry out such inspections, to ensure North Korea is complying with the weapons ban. But it is a potentially dangerous move that could lead to stand-offs between US and North Korean ships.
There was no attempt to expand the sanctions to exports and imports of non-military goods. This is partly because China and Russia would have been opposed to it, but also because there is a fear that a collapse of the North Korean economy would result in a flood of refugees into South Korea.
North Korea entered into international negotiations during the Bush administration aimed at getting the country to abandon its nuclear programme after it was threatened with sanctions three years ago. But the process, which has been fitful for 15 years, subsequently collapsed. The Obama administration’s aim with respect to North Korea is to get Pyongyang back into talks.
The sanctions could also complicate attempts to free two US journalists sentenced on Monday to 12 years’ hard labour for filming at the border between China and North Korea.
Pleas had been made for their release on humanitarian grounds, but North Korea may use them as a bargaining chip.