Tough sanctions for North Korea
UN targets textile exports in stand against nuclear tests
THE UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution to impose fresh sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear test on September 3, targeting oil imports and textile exports. Monday’s resolution curtails North Korea’s overall oil supply by almost 30% through a 55% reduction of gas, diesel and heavy fuel oil supplies, bans all its textile exports worth $800 million (R10 billion) and seeks to block the remittances of some 93 000 North Korean labourers from abroad.
With the new measures, 90% of North Korea’s exports were now banned, Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, said.
British ambassador Matthew Rycroft said what the council did on Monday was to demonstrate that Pyongyang’s provocations would be matched by consequences.
China’s permanent representative to the UN, Liu Jieyi, condemned North Korea’s nuclear test on September 3, saying China was committed to the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
He urged North Korea to heed the aspirations and will of the international community, abide by Security Council resolutions, refrain from any more missile launches or nuclear tests, and return to the track of denuclearisation.
He said Monday’s resolution reiterated the need to maintain peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in north-east Asia, settle the issue peacefully and resume six-party talks and de-escalate tension on the Korean Peninsula.
“The nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula must be resolved peacefully… Integrated measures must be taken to balance the legitimate concerns of all parties.”
He said all parties must be cool-headed and avoid rhetoric or action that would aggravate tension.
Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia deplored the fact that the new resolution did not take in enough, the thoughts of Russia with respect to the peaceful settlement of the issue through diplomatic and political means.
Monday’s resolution followed a council resolution on August 5, which imposed a ban on the export of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood from North Korea, among other restrictive measures.
The council also adopted a presidential statement on August 29 condemning North Korea’s launch of a ballistic missile that flew over Japan a day earlier, as well as other missile launches on August 25.