Russian president Putin signs decree to impose restrictions on Pyongyang

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to impose a number of bans on the North Korea in compliance with the United Nations ( UN) Security Council Resolution 2321, Russia’s legal document portal published on Monday, China’s Xinhua news agency reported.

Russia imposed sanctions on 11 North Korean individuals and 10 companies involved in Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs, according to the decree.

It banned exports to the North Korea of 80 chemical substances and types of equipment and software that may be used to produce nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

The decree cut the number of bank accounts of North Korea’s diplomatic missions in Russia and bans exports of luxury items, including expensive tapestries, carpets and porcelain kitchenware.

It also recommended the suspension of scientific and technical cooperation that may contribute to nuclear and missile development with individuals and institutions representing the North Korea.

Other measures were also included in the 39- page presidential decree.

On Nov 30, 2016, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted the Resolution 2321 in response to Pyongyang’s fifth nuclear test on Sept 9.

In the UN document, the 15nation council decided that the North Korea should not supply, sell or transfer coal, iron and iron ore from its territory, but excluded transactions for livelihood purposes.

The council set an upper limit on the North Korea’s coal exporting and banned the sale of copper, nickel, silver, zinc and statues from the North Korea. — Bernama