United Nations, United States: France urged the UN Security Council on Friday to begin work on a new resolution that would impose fresh sanctions on North Korea after its fifth nuclear test.
"We believe new sanctions are indispensable," French Ambassador Francois Delattre told reporters as he headed into an emergency meeting of the council called to discuss a response to Pyongyang.
"France calls for the adoption as soon as possible of a new resolution under chapter 7" of the UN charter, which provides for sanctions, he added.
US President Barack Obama earlier vowed to push for new international sanctions in retaliation for the "grave threat" posed by North Korea's latest test.
The blast at the Punggye-ri nuclear site had a yield of 10 kilotons, the most powerful to date, according to experts.
Japan and several other council members are calling for new sanctions, but China has repeatedly stressed the need to avoid an escalation of tension on the Korean peninsula.
North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006.
Since that resolution, North Korea has carried out 21 ballistic missile launches, Power said, describing those and Pyongyang's second nuclear test this year as "more than brazen defiance."
"We believe new sanctions are indispensable," French Ambassador Francois Delattre told reporters as he headed into an emergency meeting of the council called to discuss a response to Pyongyang.
"France calls for the adoption as soon as possible of a new resolution under chapter 7" of the UN charter, which provides for sanctions, he added.
US President Barack Obama earlier vowed to push for new international sanctions in retaliation for the "grave threat" posed by North Korea's latest test.
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The blast at the Punggye-ri nuclear site had a yield of 10 kilotons, the most powerful to date, according to experts.
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Japan and several other council members are calling for new sanctions, but China has repeatedly stressed the need to avoid an escalation of tension on the Korean peninsula.
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North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006.
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Since that resolution, North Korea has carried out 21 ballistic missile launches, Power said, describing those and Pyongyang's second nuclear test this year as "more than brazen defiance."
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