Mixed response to US call for fresh sanctions

WASHINGTON’S latest demands for new and tougher sanctions on North Korea met mixed responses this week.

The United States on Wednesday warned that North Korea’s leadership would be “utterly destroyed” if war broke out as it called on countries to cut all diplomatic and trade ties – including Chinese oil shipments to Pyongyang.

Washington urged tough action at an emergency meeting of the Security Council called to respond to North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

“The dictator of North Korea made a choice yesterday that brings the world closer to war, not farther from it,” US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council. “If war comes, make no mistake: the regime will be utterly destroyed.”

US President Donald Trump derided Kim Jong-Un as a “sick puppy” and threatened “major” new sanctions after Pyongyang tested its third ICBM – which it claimed was capable of striking anywhere in the United States.

The test ended a two-month lull in missile tests that had raised hopes for the opening of diplomatic talks.

North Korean leader Kim said the test of the Hwasong-15 had helped his country achieve the goal of becoming a full nuclear power, as the international community expressed outrage.

Haley revealed that Trump had called Chinese President Xi Jinping and urged him to “cut off the oil from North Korea” – which would deal a crippling blow to North Korea’s economy. “That would be a pivotal step in the world’s effort to stop this international pariah,” she said.

Piling pressure on China, Haley said that if Beijing did not act to cut off oil supplies “we can take the oil situation into our own hands”.

However, early yesterday Trump appeared disillusioned with China’s impact on Kim. He tweeted:

“The Chinese Envoy, who just returned from North Korea, seems to have had no impact on Little Rocket Man.

“Hard to believe his people, and the military, put up with living in such horrible conditions. Russia and China condemned the launch.”

But Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov poured scorn on Washington’s call to cut all ties with North Korea and introduce new sanctions.

“We see this negatively,” he told journalists in the Belarusian capital Minsk. “We have repeatedly stated that the pressure of sanctions has been exhausted.” He accused the US of seeking to provoke Kim’s regime and demanded to know whether Washington was plotting to destroy the isolated country.

“It’s as if the recent actions of the US are consciously directed to provoke Pyongyang towards other radical actions,” Russia’s top diplomat said.

“The impression is that everything has been done to prompt Kim Jong-Un to lose it and take another reckless step. The Americans need to explain what they are aiming for. If they are looking for a reason to destroy North Korea, then they should say it straight.”

The US earlier this year pressed for a full oil embargo on North Korea but dropped that demand in negotiations on a sanctions resolution with China.

The Security Council met at the request of the US, Japan and South Korea to consider next steps after three rounds of sanctions adopted in the past year failed to push North Korea to change course.

Earlier, Trump – who has traded barbs with Kim for months – had asked Xi to use “all available levers” to pressure the hermit state.

“Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today.

“This situation will be handled!” Trump had tweeted.

Last week, Trump announced new US unilateral sanctions and returned Pyongyang to a US list of state sponsors of terror. — AFP