Q+A-U.N. Security Council plans resolution on North Korea

By Louis Charbonneau

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Monday unanimously condemned North Korea's nuclear test and announced it would begin work on a resolution in response to what it said was a violation of international law.

Closed-door negotiations on a resolution will begin on Tuesday and can be expected to take at least several days before the 15-nation council has a draft ready to vote on.

WHAT IS A RESOLUTION?

A Security Council resolution is a decision by the council that is generally considered to be legally binding. In order to be approved, it must have nine or more votes in favour and no vetoes by the five permanent members -- the United States, Britain, China, France and Russia.

The council can also issue statements. Those are generally not considered to be legally binding, although some U.N. delegations have argued they can be binding.

WHAT WILL BE IN THE RESOLUTION?

Western powers like the United States, Britain and France, as well as Japan and other U.S. allies, are expected to push for new sanctions to be included in the resolution.

Russia and China are generally reluctant to approve sanctions, although they did agree to impose punitive measures against North Korea after its 2006 nuclear test in Security Council resolution 1718.