US Ambassador Nikki Haley on Tuesday cited progress in talks with China on imposing what she termed as “pretty serious” new UN sanctions on North Korea in response to its first ICBM launch.
The United States has been locked in negotiations with China for nearly three weeks on a new raft of measures, and Haley said China was negotiating with Russia separately on possible tougher sanctions.
“I think we are making progress,” Haley told reporters.
“I think we are moving. It’s not as fast as I would like but these are pretty serious sanctions and so I think that there is a lot of thought going into this.”
The United States launched a push at the United Nations for tougher sanctions after North Korea achieved a milestone in its military program with the July 4 launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Haley told the Security Council the day after the launch that she hoped to present new measures in a few days, such as cutting off oil supplies, banning North Korean guest workers or imposing new air and maritime restrictions on North Korea.
Despite the delay, China is cooperating with the US drive for sanctions, Haley said.
“I was pleased with the response that we got back (from China). We were waiting to see if it was going to be weak or strong and I think they showed some seriousness with it,” she said.
“The true test will be what they have worked out with Russia.”
Russia maintains that the July 4 launch was not an ICBM, citing its defense ministry´s assessment from its tracking systems.
Moscow has also argued that sanctions are not the answer to rein in North Korea, and that talks, as advocated by Beijing, were needed.
In all, six sets of UN sanctions have been imposed on North Korea since it first tested an atomic device in 2006, but two resolutions adopted last year significantly toughened the sanctions regime.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.