UNSC adopts stiffer curbs on North Korea

The United Nations Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution imposing tougher sanctions on a defiant North Korea and targeting its atomic and missile programmes in response to its second nuclear test.

The 15-member body, endorsing a resolution sponsored by Britian, France, Japan, South Korea and the US, condemned the May 25 nuclear test conducted in "violation and flagrant" disregard of earlier Council resolutions.

While the resolution does not call for use of force, it imposes a series of measures including tougher inspections of cargo suspected of containing banned items related to the North's nuclear and ballistic missile activities, a tighter arms embargo with the exception of light weapons and new financial restrictions.

However, key North Korean allies China and Russia, who were involved in drafting the resolution, resisted making the inspections and some other measures mandatory, thereby leaving unclear the impact the sanctions will have.

Through fresh sanctions, aimed at cutting off all financial military-related transactions and imposing a near-total ban on export and import of arms, the Council hopes to bring Pyongyang back to the negotiating table for dismantling its nuclear and missile development programmes.

"The measures in this resolution are targeted very precisely at the nuclear, missile and weapons of mass destruction programmes of North Korea," said Ambassador Philip Parham, deputy permanent representative for UK.

The sanctions are not intended to restrict "legitimate activity and trade and should not have an adverse affect "on the already hard-pressed people of North Korea," Parham said.

The resolution also demanded that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea "not conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology" and said the country should rejoin the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The resolution also suggests that states should cut off "bunkering" services, like refueling, for North Korean vessels.

"The emphasis has to be on implementing this resolution as effectively as possible both to prevent further such activity and also to send a very strong political message to the North Koreans," Parham said.

Last month's nuclear test that invited worldwide condemnation, followed a series of confrontational actions taken by the North.

The measures included in Friday's text have been picked up from those listed in a UNSC resolution passed after North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006. The sanctions were not implemented then as the North agreed to negotiate an end to its nuclear programme.

The clause on inspection of ships for weapons says that if the country where the ship is registered decided to reject an inspection in international waters, then the vessel will be required to divert to a nearby harbor.

If neither happened, the episode would be reported to the Security Council's sanctions committee. However, in the absence of use of force, it was not clear how much tooth the sanctions would have on the weapons front.

Meanwhile, financial sanctions call member states to cut off financial services related to nuclear and weapons programmes of North Korea.

The resolution also declares that Pyongyang "shall abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and immediately cease all related activities."

North Korea launched a long-range missile in April this year, which was condemned by the Security Council. Pyongyang then retaliated by announcing May 25 that it had staged a second nuclear weapons test, following one in 2006.

It also has declared the armistice ending the 1950-53 Korean War as void.