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

Japan Policy & Politics, April 6, 2009

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.