Smith calls for more sanctions on North Korea

ArticleData Array ( [Article] => Array ( [article_id] => 1019056 [headline] => Smith calls for more sanctions on North Korea [abstract] => The international community should look at imposing financial sanctions on North Korea as the rogue nation is reported to be considering another nuclear test, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says. [keywords] => North Korea, Smith, sanctions [content] =>

The international community should look at imposing financial sanctions on North Korea as the rogue nation is reported to be considering another nuclear test, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says.

The Australian government was aware of the latest speculation, describing any further test as "immensely provocative".

The United Nations Security Council was working hard on a new resolution, condemning North Korea, which was likely to emerge in the next few days.

"But also we have to look at what more measures the international community can take," Mr Smith told ABC Radio.

That could mean calling on countries, who don't presently impose existing sanctions, to take action or imposing more financial sanctions.

"We also have to engage in some form of dialogue and I think that is the longer term process."

The "danger and the worry" is that North Korea was progressing down a path of developing their (nuclear weapon) capability." "And that is what the international community needs to stop."

[start_date] => 27 May 2009 | 10:09:49 AM [comments_allowed] => 0 [source] => AAP [commentCount] => 0 [video] => [image] => Array ( [caption] => [useRegularImage] => 1 [media_library_id] => 76742 [site_id] => 1 [media_library_group_id] => 0 [media_usage_id] => 0 [filename] => site_1_rand_1094852674_north_korea_missiles_l_2605_getty.jpg [title] => north_korea_missiles_L_2605_getty_1094852674 [description] => file:site_1_rand_1094852674_north_korea_missiles_l_2605_getty.jpg [type] => [height] => 338 [width] => 450 [source] => [video_hi] => [video_lo] => [section] => [display_order] => 0 [create_date] => 2009-05-26 10:40:32 [active] => 1 [media_usage] => Article Large [usageWidth] => 300 [usageHeight] => 225 ) [imagePath] => http://media.sbs.com.au/news/upload_media/ [audio] => [reporter] => [relatedLinks] => Array ( [2] => Array ( [id] => 1019051 [label] => North Korea 'fires another missile' [display_order] => 0 [type] => Article ) [1] => Array ( [id] => 1019026 [label] => Obama speaks to Asian leaders over North Korea concerns [display_order] => 0 [type] => Article ) [0] => Array ( [id] => 1019018 [label] => Security Council condemns nuclear test [display_order] => 0 [type] => Article ) ) [relatedArticles] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [article_id] => 1019018 [headline] => Security Council condemns nuclear test [abstract] => The UN Security Council unanimously condemned North Korea for nuclear testing as major powers mulled fresh punitive action. [content] =>

The UN Security Council unanimously condemned North Korea for testing a nuclear bomb as major powers mulled fresh punitive action and US President Barack Obama pledged support to Pyongyang's neighbors.

After Monday's emergency meeting at UN headquarters in New York, member states decided to "immediately" begin working on a Security Council resolution to address the latest test, council president Vitaly Churkin of Russia said.

"The members of the Security Council voiced their strong opposition and condemnation of the nuclear test conducted on 25 May 2009 by North Korea," Churkin told reporters.

'Clear violation of Resolution'

The test "constitutes a clear violation of (UN) Resolution 1718," Churkin said referring to the text adopted in October 2006 after North Korea's first nuclear test, forbidding the reclusive regime from conducting any future nuclear tests or missile launches.

Several western diplomats hinted they would seek fresh sanctions against Pyongyang under a new resolution, but the United States has stopped short of mentioning possible sanctions.

"This resolution should include new sanctions in addition to those already adopted because such behavior should have a cost and a price to pay," said French Deputy Permanent Representative Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

'Very serious provocation'

"It is important that North Korea pays a price for its behavior, the very serious provocation of this nuclear test."

Lacroix declined to give details on any new sanctions, which he said would be determined through Security Council negotiations.

The US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said the United States "will seek a strong resolution with strong measures."

Rice called the test "a grave violation of international law, and a threat to regional and international peace and security" but refrained from mentioning sanctions.

'A direct threat'

"We believe it ought to be a strong resolution with appropriately strong contents, but obviously unless and until we complete the negotiation process, it is premature to say what its contents will be," Rice added.

Japan's UN ambassador, Yukio Takasu, called the nuclear test "a direct threat to the security of Japan and Asia" and said a future resolution would aim to set "consequences" for Pyongyang's actions.

Japan has been involved in stalled six-party talks aimed at shuttering the North's nuclear program.

Hours before the emergency UN session, North Korea conducted its test -- an underground blast far bigger than its first nuclear test in 2006 -- drawing stern rebukes from global leaders.

Obama labels act 'reckless'

US President Barack Obama warned of "great" danger and condemned the "reckless" act, while Israel stressed "negative implications" in the Middle East.

Even China, the secretive North's closest international ally, expressed "resolute opposition."

Obama spoke by phone late Monday with his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-Bak and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso to "coordinate" reaction to North Korea's nuclear test, the White House said.

Obama and Lee agreed "to consult and coordinate our reaction," while in his talks with Aso, Obama reiterated his country's "unequivocal commitment to the defense of Japan and to maintaining peace and security in Northeast Asia."

Compounding the frustration among world leaders, Pyongyang on Tuesday test-fired two short-range missiles, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

Escalation of tensions

The Security Council on April 13 slapped sanctions against North Korea, banning transactions and calling on UN member states to freeze the assets of three business entities of Pyongyang following its April 5 rocket launch.

In response, the North said it was quitting a six-nation nuclear disarmament pact with the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia.

It also said it had stopped cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and reactivated its nuclear installations.

Russia estimated the force of Monday's underground explosion at up to 20 kilotons, far more powerful than the October 2006 test that announced the impoverished communist state had joined the club of world nuclear powers.

The North said the latest nuclear test would "contribute to defending the sovereignty of the country and the nation and socialism, and ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and the region."

 

[content_type_id] => 3 [site_name] => World News Australia [articledate] => 26 May 2009 [articletime] => 26 May 2009 [display_order] => 0 ) [1] => Array ( [article_id] => 1019026 [headline] => Obama speaks to Asian leaders over North Korea concerns [abstract] => US President Barack Obama has spoken with South Korean and Japenese leaders over the ongoing North Korea threat. [content] =>

US President Barack Obama spoke by phone late Monday with his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso to "coordinate" reaction to North Korea's nuclear test, the White House said.

Obama spoke with Lee "to consult and coordinate our reaction to the North Korean nuclear test," the White House said.
They "agreed to work closely together to seek and support a strong United Nations Security Council resolution with concrete measures to curtail North Korea's nuclear and missile activities."

Defence

In his talks with Aso, Obama reiterated his country's "unequivocal commitment to the defence of Japan and to maintaining peace and security in Northeast Asia."
Chief Japanese government spokesman Takeo Kawamura said the pair "agreed to make the international community's intention clear through adoption of a strong resolution at the Security Council."
Kawamura did not say whether the leaders would ask for new sanctions. The UN Security Council unanimously condemned North Korea on Monday hours after it tested a nuclear bomb, with major powers vowing new punitive action against Pyongyang for violating the world body's resolutions.

UN sanctions

Several western diplomats emerged from the emergency UN Security Council session hinting they would seek fresh sanctions against Pyongyang under a new resolution.

The US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said "the United States will seek a strong resolution with strong measures," calling the test "a grave violation of international law, and a threat to regional and international peace and security."

But Rice stopped short of mentioning possible sanctions. North Korea's test -- an underground blast far bigger than its first nuclear test in 2006 -- drew stern rebukes from global leaders, with Obama leading the pack with a warning of "grave" danger from the development.
  

 

[content_type_id] => 3 [site_name] => World News Australia [articledate] => 26 May 2009 [articletime] => 26 May 2009 [display_order] => 0 ) [2] => Array ( [article_id] => 1019051 [headline] => North Korea 'fires another missile' [abstract] => North Korea has fired off another missile, the latest in a series since its nuclear test two days ago, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said. [content] =>

North Korea has fired off another missile, the latest in a series since its nuclear test two days ago, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said.

The North fired a short-range missile into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) overnight, it quoted a Seoul government source as saying. "Intelligence authorities are now closely monitoring the situation," the source said.

The communist state fired three short-range ground-to-air missiles from locations near its east coast on Monday, the same day it conducted an underground nuclear test that shocked the world. It launched two more off its east coast on Tuesday, Yonhap news agency reported.

South Korea's military says it does not comment on intelligence matters.

The missiles fired Monday and Tuesday were said to have a range of 130 kilometres (80 miles).

Several times in recent years, the North has test-fired short-range missiles in either the Yellow Sea or the Sea of Japan. The exercises are often staged to coincide with periods of regional tension.

[content_type_id] => 3 [site_name] => World News Australia [articledate] => 27 May 2009 [articletime] => 27 May 2009 [display_order] => 0 ) ) [comments] => Array ( ) ) [winston] => test )