US pushing for N Korean sanctions at UN
2013-01-16 14:42
Seoul - The United States is pushing hard for tough sanctions against North
Korea, one of its top envoys for Asia said on Wednesday, although diplomats at
the United Nations said it appeared unlikely that the North's ally, China,
would support them.
Washington, along with South Korea, Japan and European Union states, want to
punish North Korea for its December rocket launch with a United Nations
Security Council resolution and tougher sanctions against Pyongyang.
"We anticipate formal steps in the Security Council in the immediate
future," Kurt Campbell, the top US diplomat for East Asian Affairs, told
reporters after meeting with South Korean defence and foreign ministry
officials.
Campbell said Washington was "in the midst of really rather intense
deliberations" in the Security Council. He did not directly address the
issue of China's involvement and is set to travel to Japan after South Korea.
Nuclear technology
Bejing is the North's only major diplomatic ally. While it agreed to
sanctions in the wake of North Korea's 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests, diplomats
at the United Nations say China only wants a presidential statement to condemn
the latest launch but would allow more names to be added to a UN blacklist.
North Korea is already banned under United Nations Security Council
resolutions from developing nuclear and missile technology but has been working
steadily on its nuclear test site, possibly in preparation for a third nuclear
test, satellite images show.
December's successful long-range rocket launch, the first to put a satellite
in orbit, was a coup for North Korea's young leader Kim Jong-un.
It raised tensions in East Asia at the same time as Japan and South Korea
elected new leaders, who Washington want to mend relations after a dispute over
an island claimed by both countries boiled over.
South Korea, Japan
The island dispute caused Tokyo and Seoul to cancel intelligence-sharing
plans. They also allowed to lapse a $57bn currency swap agreement aimed at
insulating two of Asia's largest economies from the global financial crisis.
Campbell is due to meet South Korean President-elect Park Geun-hye later on
Wednesday.
Washington hopes South Korea and Japan can put a lid on spats over history
and territory stemming from Japan's 1910-45 occupation of Korea.
US officials are also seeking to reassure Tokyo as it confronts almost daily
challenges from China over the sovereignty of other disputed islets in a
separate, more dangerous, territorial row.
"We have very great confidence in the leadership in both Japan and
South Korea to recognise the strongest, best interests of both countries to
maintain that positive trajectory going forward," Campbell said.
