US to present North Korea sanctions resolution today at UN

The United States is set to formally submit a draft resolution toughening sanctions against North Korea to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, a spokesman for the US mission to the United Nation says.

US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power "intends to submit for consideration by the Security Council a draft sanctions resolution in response to the DPRK's recent nuclear test and subsequent proscribed ballistic missile launch," US spokesman Kurtis Cooper said Thursday.

"We look forward to working with the Council on a strong and comprehensive response to the DPRK's latest series of tests aimed at advancing their nuclear weapons program," Cooper added.

The US and China have reached an agreement over the draft resolution -- following six weeks of tough negotiations -- aimed at tightening Security Council sanctions against North Korea over its recent nuclear test.

"It's a substantive, long, full draft... which I hope will be adopted in the coming days…There is an agreement between those two countries," a senior Security Council member was quoted by Reuters as saying on Wednesday.

The agreement, which was reached after overcoming "a significant number of blockage points" following seven weeks of negotiations between Washington and Beijing, will be presented to the rest of the 15-member council, said the diplomat, who was speaking on condition of anonymity.

Cooper said the Security Council will meet at 1900 GMT on Thursday to discuss the draft, but it is not clear when a vote on the text would take place.

UN diplomats have said a vote could happen in the coming days.

On January 6, the North conducted its fourth nuclear test, an action which drew differing responses from the US and China. The former called for severe punitive measures and the latter urged further negotiations with Pyongyang in accordance to non-proliferation regulations.

North Korea, which is under UN sanctions over its nuclear tests and missiles launches, declared itself a nuclear power in 2005 and has carried out three other nuclear weapons tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

It also launched a long-range rocket earlier this month reportedly aimed at placing an earth observation satellite into orbit. However, the US and South Korea denounced the move as a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test.​

Apart from a UN arms embargo the North is prohibited from importing and exporting missile and nuclear technologies and is banned from importing luxury goods.

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