EU Wants North Korea Sanctions
October 16, 2006
The EU is welcoming UN sanctions imposed on North Korea for its atomic test last week, saying a united stand bodes well for the world's showdown with Iran over its disputed nuclear program.
"Of course we fully back" the sanctions agreed to in the UN Security Council on Saturday, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told BBC television during a visit to London.
"They are really important for the credibility of the international community because what's happening in North Korea is not only very bad and very dangerous for the region, but for the world," he said.
The development in Pyongyang "raises the question of proliferation of nuclear technology and (the) possibility of North Korea selling that technology to terrorist groups," Barroso added. "It's very important we stand firm and support the United Nations sanctions."
A fractions consensus
The UN text agreed to Saturday demands elimination of all North Korean programs related to weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, a ban targeting missiles, tanks, large artillery systems, warships and combat aircraft, and provides for the inspection of cargo to and from the state.
It further allows for a travel ban on officials working on such programs and the freezing of funds and economic assets linked to them, as well as slapping an embargo on luxury goods. It specifically does not include any reference to military action.
While the international community has broadly welcomed UN sanctions against North Korea, the consensus is still fractious.
US President George W. Bush said the unanimous Security Council resolution sent a clear message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, a statement echoed in London, Paris, Tokyo and Seoul.
But signs of the intense diplomatic haggling over the scale and nature of the sanctions were evident even after the text was approved in New York, with China -- Pyongyang's closest ally -- voicing reservations about provisions for inspecting cargo entering and leaving North Korea.
"We advocate that the UN Security Council's action has to show the firm position of the international community, but on the other hand it also should be conducive towards resolving the problems through peaceful dialogue," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters.
In contrast, Japan, which had pushed for even tougher measures, said it was considering further action of its own to ratchet up the pressure on Pyongyang.
Keeping the community united
When asked if the European Union would push for firmer measures if North Korea failed to respond to the sanctions, he replied: "We believe we have to keep the international community as united as possible.
"We are very happy for instance with the tough position taken by China," Barroso said. "That (Chinese position) was good because this is also important for Iran. With Iran, we are trying to follow the diplomatic route. So the signal that we give now with North Korea can be also important for the Iran issue."
Russia and China have balked at the type of sanctions against Iran that the United States and its EU allies have supported while continuing to keep diplomatic options open.
Iran has been under growing pressure since missing an Aug. 31 UN deadline to suspend uranium enrichment. The Islamic republic says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes but the West fears it is a cover for obtaining atomic weapons.