Seven powers reach deal on UN North Korea curbs

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - Seven key powers reached a tentative deal Wednesday on a draft UN Security Council resolution that would expand sanctions to punish North Korea for its recent nuclear test, with a vote expected by weeks end.
The consensus text, agreed after more than two weeks of hard-nosed bargaining among envoys of the five permanent members of the Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - plus Japan and South Korea, was submitted to the full 15-member Security Council Wednesday.
The Council will adopt the resolution by Friday, Germanys foreign minister said during a visit to Moscow.
The efforts made for a resolution were rewarded with success, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said after seven key powers reached a tentative deal at the United Nations to expand sanctions on Pyongyang.
We expect a vote at the Security Council by Friday at the latest, he told a news conference after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The US will not accept a nuclear Pyongyang and is committed to defending neighboring Japan and South Korea, the nominee to be the top US diplomat for Asia said.
Kurt Campbell, speaking at his Senate confirmation hearing to be the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs, said North Korea posed a direct and reckless challenge to the world with its recent nuclear test. US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice told reporters after the meeting that she introduced the text on behalf of the seven, saying it provided a very strong, very credible, very appropriate response to the very provocative North Korean nuclear test and subsequent short-range missile firings.
Describing North Koreas behaviour as unacceptable, she said the North Koreans must pay a price and the consequences they will face are significant.
Turkeys UN Ambassador Baki Ilkin, the Council chair this month, said members would now evaluate the draft resolution, send it to their capitals and will request instructions on how to proceed. Adoption of the text is virtually assured now that the key players have endorsed it, diplomats said.
It is a very good text from our perspective, which clearly expresses the condemnation of North Koreas behaviour by the international community, Frances UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert told reporters ahead of the Council meeting.
The sanctions draft establishes a very strong monitoring system and we hope that it will be adopted as soon as possible, certainly before the end of the week, and if possible tomorrow (Thursday), he added.
The draft, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, condemns in the strongest terms North Koreas May 25 underground nuclear test in violation of UN resolutions and demands that the DPRK (North Korea) not conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology.
It declares that Pyongyang shall abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and immediately cease all related activities.
The Stalinist regime is also required to suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme and to immediately retract its announcement of withdrawal from the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty).
But Rice stressed that the main provision of the draft was tougher rules for inspection of cargo on air, land and sea to interdict banned material related to North Koreas nuclear and missile activities as well as a tighter arms embargo to choke off a significant source of revenues for North Korea.
The text also provides a freeze on North Korean assets abroad, denial of access to the international banking and financial services, and broadening the list of entities targeted for travel bans or financial sanctions.
The United States, Japan, China, Russia and South Korea have for years been engaged in now-stalled negotiations with North Korea aimed at scrapping Pyongyangs weapons-grade nuclear programs.