U.N. draft demands enforcement of North Korea sanctions

By Louis Charbonneau

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Six world powers agreed to a draft U.N. Security Council statement on Saturday that condemns North Korea's rocket launch and calls for enforcement of U.N. sanctions imposed against Pyongyang.

The 15-nation council met briefly to receive copies of the U.S.-drafted statement, agreement on which was hammered out in a two-hour meeting between the ambassadors of the United States, Japan, China, Britain, France and Russia.

With the five permanent council members and Japan backing the statement, diplomats said its formal adoption by the full council at a further meeting called for Monday afternoon was virtually assured.

"The Security Council condemns the 5 April 2009 launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which is in contravention of Security Council resolution 1718," the statement said.

The draft also calls for the U.N. Sanctions Committee to begin enforcing financial sanctions and an arms embargo laid down in an existing council resolution.

That resolution, number 1718, was passed after a nuclear test by Pyongyang in October 2006. It forbids North Korea from launching ballistic missiles or carrying out further nuclear tests. It also bans the import or export of arms and related goods by Pyongyang.

Saturday's deal on a so-called presidential statement ended a week-long deadlock on a council response to the North Korean launch, which had pitched Japan and China against each other.

U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said the draft statement is "very strong and sends a clear message to the DPRK that their violation of international law will not be treated with impunity and indeed will have consequences."