WORLD> Asia-Pacific
|
WORLD> Asia-Pacific
|
|
UN, US move to increase pressure on DPRK
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-16 13:36 DPRK's front companies The UN Security Council passed a resolution on June 12 that expanded UN sanctions against the DPRK in response to a nuclear test it carried out on May 25, and asked the committee to add more names to the sanctions list. The committee in April placed two DPRK firms and a bank on the list in its first action in two years. That move followed a long-range rocket launch earlier in the month by Pyongyang. This week's blacklisting is expected to go further by specifying individuals and goods to be subject to sanctions, as well as additional companies. The measure would prohibit companies and nations from doing business with the named firms and require them to freeze assets and impose travel bans on the individuals. The steps described by the US official were in addition to the UN measures and targeted counterfeiting, narcotics trafficking and other DPRK activities in addition to illicit weapons proliferation, officials said. A second US official said there was a growing international consensus that tightening sanctions on DPRK's entities is "the best chance we have to influence their calculations". "We're confident of an outcome which will be commensurate with the DPRK actions and will be effective and will significantly improve the (sanctions) regime," said one Western diplomat, speaking on condition he not be identified. The sanctions are intended to target only companies and individuals connected to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, and diplomats said the proposed goods to be sanctioned were also all weapons-related. The June 12 sanctions resolution banned all weapons exports from the DPRK and most arms imports into the state. It also authorized UN member states to inspect the DPRK's sea, air and land cargo, requiring them to seize and destroy any goods transported in violation of the sanctions. The DPRK responded by saying it would take "firm military action" if the United States and its allies tried to isolate it.
|
