国际英语新闻：UN Security Council adopts resolution expanding sanctions on DPRK

UNITED NATIONS, June 12 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution condemning "in the strongest terms" a recent nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and imposing new sanctions.

    It demanded that the DPRK "not conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology."

Zhang Yesui, Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations, speaks during the full Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, June 12, 2009. China supports "an appropriate and balanced reaction" from the UN Security Council to the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Chinese envoy said here on Friday, after the 15-nation UN body unanimously adopted a resolution condemning "in the strongest terms" the May 25 nuclear test by the DPRK.

The Security Council "condemns in the strongest terms the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK on May 25, 2009 (local time) in violation and flagrant disregard of its relevant resolutions, in particular resolutions 1695 (2006) and 1718 (2006), and the statement of its president of April 13, 2009," the resolution said.

    The 15-nation Council "demands that the DPRK not conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology," said the resolution.

    The Security Council called on "all states to inspect, in accordance with their national authorities and legislation, and consistent with international law, all cargo to and from the DPRK, in their territory, including seaports and airports, if the state concerned has information that provides reasonable grounds to believe the cargo contains items the supply, sale, transfer, or export" of which is prohibited by this resolution," for the purpose of ensuring strict implementation of those provisions," the resolution said. 

Rosemary DiCarlo, U.S. alternate representative to the United Nations for special Political Affairs, speaks during the full Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, June 12, 2009.

The Security Council called on "all member states to inspect vessels, with the consent of the flag state, on the high seas, if they have information that provides reasonable grounds to believe that the cargo of such vessels contains items the supply, sale, transfer, or export" of which is prohibited by this resolution, "for the purpose of ensuring strict implementation of those provisions," the resolution said.

    The Security Council called on "all states to cooperate with inspections in accordance with the resolution, "if the flag state does not consent to inspection on the high seas, decides that the flag state shall direct the vessel to proceed to an appropriate and convenient port for the required inspection by the local authorities," the resolution said.

South Korea's Ambassador to the United Nations Park In-Kook speaks during the full Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, June 12, 2009

The Security Council "decides to authorize all member states to, and that all member states shall, seize and dispose of items the supply, sale, transfer, or export" of which is prohibited by Resolution 1718, adopted in October 2006, or by this new resolution, the resolution said.

    The Security Council stressed "its collective support for the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) and commitment to strengthen the treaty in all its aspects, and global efforts towards nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament, and recalling that the DPRK cannot have the status of a nuclear-weapon state in accordance with the NPT in any case, " the resolution said.

Yukio Takasu, Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations, speaks during the full Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, June 12, 2009.

The Security Council deplored "the DPRK's announcement of withdrawal from the NPT and its pursuit of nuclear weapons," the resolution said, "underlining once again the importance that the DPRK response to other security and humanitarian concerns of the international community."

    The Security Council also underlined "that measures imposed by this resolution are not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences for the civilian population of the DPRK," the resolution said.

    The Council expressed "its gravest concern that the nuclear test and missile activities carried out by the DPRK have further generated increased tension in the region and beyond, and determining that there continues to exist a clear threat to international peace and security," the resolution said.

Vitaly Churkin, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations, speaks during the full Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, June 12, 2009.

The resolution asked UN members to report on steps they're taking to implement the sanctions within 45 days.

    Under the draft, the sanctions committee has 30 days to decide on further entities, goods and individuals to be subject to the travel ban and asset freeze imposed in Resolution 1718 after the 2006 nuclear test.

    It also requested that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon create a panel of up to seven experts to monitor the sanctions' enforcement and provide an interim report on its work to the Council no later than 90 days after adoption of this resolution, and a final report to the Council no later than 30 days prior to termination of its mandate with its findings and recommendations, the resolution said.

Philip Parham, U.K. Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, speaks after the full Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, June 12, 2009.

The resolution called upon the DPRK to "join the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the earliest date."

    On May 25, the Security Council voiced "the strong opposition to and the condemnation of" the DPRK nuclear test.

    The draft resolution resulted from rounds of hard negotiations among five permanent members -- China, France, Russia, Britain, and the United States -- and Japan and South Korea, shortly after the DPRK announced the successful conducting of a nuclear test on May 25, the second since 2006.

    The draft resolution urges the DPRK to come back to the six-party talks without preconditions and expresses the Security Council's commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation.

France's Ambassador to the United Nations Jean-Maurice Ripert speaks during the full Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, June 12, 2009