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Pyongyang isolated as Seoul, Beijing hold sanctions parleys
South Korea and China discuss sanctions
against North Korea.
BY OUR POLITICS CORRESPONDENT
October 13, 2006
Post-nukes, the North Korean worries have begun. Neighbours South Korea and China seemed to be closing in on forcing sanctions over Pyongyang as the Presidents of both countries on Friday sat down for discussions in this regard.
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun arrived in Beijing, even as the U.N. Security Council weighed U.S. demands for tough penalties and Japan adopted a trade and travel ban. Seoul and Beijing support sanctions but have warned against worsening the situation by overreacting.
According to South Korea , “sanctions need to be brought in in a way that brings the effect we want, rather than being implemented emotionally and as an instant reaction”. Meanwhile China has opposed more severe measures proposed by Washington, saying it wants time to work out a more moderate response. Incidentally, China is a permanent Security Council member with power to veto U N actions.
The Presidents of both the nations are to discuss such ``effectiveness-oriented ways of sanctioning North Korea'' and possibly the draft Security Council measures proposed by the United States, said reports from Beijing.
Meanwhile, a new US draft resolution circulated a day earlier at the United Nations sought to authorise non-military sanctions against North Korea. The draft also said that any further action would need a new UN resolution, proving that a key Chinese demand has been taken into consideration.
Japan in the meantime adopted the toughest sanctions to date in response to the nuclear test . This included a six-month ban on travel by North Korean officials to Japan and closing ports to North Korean ships.
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