U.N. vote on Thursday on U.S. push for more North Korea sanctions (updated)

China Power Equipment

25/05/2022 22:24

(Adds Thursday vote, Chinese comment)
    By Michelle Nichols
    UNITED NATIONS, May 25 (Reuters) - The United Nations
Security Council will vote on Thursday on a U.S. push to
strengthen sanctions on North Korea over its renewed ballistic
missile launches, a move that China, which has veto power, said
would not solve any problems. 
    The vote comes a day after Pyongyang fired three missiles,
including one thought to be its largest intercontinental
ballistic missile, following U.S. President Joe Biden's trip to
Asia. It was the latest in a string of ballistic missile
launches this year, which are banned by the Security Council.
    The draft resolution would "further restrict North Korea's
ability to advance its unlawful WMD (weapons of mass
destruction) and ballistic missile programs, it would streamline
sanctions implementation and further facilitate the delivery of
humanitarian aid to those in need," a U.S. official said.
    North Korea has been subjected to U.N. sanctions since 2006,
which the Security Council has steadily - and unanimously -
stepped up over the years to cut off funding for Pyongyang's
nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
    But China and Russia have been pushing for an easing of
sanctions on humanitarian grounds. A resolution needs nine "yes"
votes and no vetoes by Russia, China, France, Britain or the
United States. 
    "We don't think a resolution as proposed by the U.S. can
solve any problems," a spokesperson for China's U.N. mission
told Reuters, adding that China had instead proposed that the
council adopt a formal statement instead of a sanctions
resolution.
    The spokesperson said the United States knows "the best way
for de-escalation, but simply resists it." China has said
Washington should show "more sincerity and flexibility" if it
wants a breakthrough with North Korea.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2UF20H
    
    CHAIN SMOKER KIM
    Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told Reuters
earlier on Wednesday that he would wait to see the final U.S.
draft text before commenting, but that he didn't believe U.N.
action would be "very conducive" to engagement with North Korea.
    North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is known as a chain smoker -
frequently seen with a cigarette in hand in photographs in state
media - and the U.S. drafted resolution, seen by Reuters, would
ban exports to North Korea of tobacco and manufactured tobacco. 
  
    The draft text would extend a ban on ballistic missile
launches to apply to cruise missiles or "any other delivery
system capable of delivering nuclear weapons."
    The draft proposes cutting crude oil exports to North Korea
by 1 million barrels to 3 million barrels annually and reducing
refined petroleum exports by 125,000 barrels to 375,000 barrels.
It also seeks to ban North Korean exports of "mineral fuels,
mineral oils and products of their distillation."
    The hermit Asian state has successfully evaded some U.N.
sanctions, according to U.N. monitors, who reported in February
that North Korean cyberattacks were earning Pyongyang hundreds
of millions of dollars.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2UG0GA
    The draft resolution would impose an asset freeze on Lazarus
hacking group, which the United States says is controlled by the
Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea's primary
intelligence agency.
    Lazarus has been accused of involvement in the "WannaCry"
ransomware attacks, hacking of international banks and customer
accounts, and the 2014 cyberattacks on Sony Pictures
Entertainment.  

 (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Eric Beech and Grant
McCool)
 ((michelle.nichols@tr.com; Twitter: @michellenichols))