The UN Security Council is called to vote Thursday evening, at Washington's request, on a resolution toughening international sanctions against North Korea to sanction its missile attacks, despite the risk of incurring a veto from China. and Russia.
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The United States, President-in-Office of the Council in May, has drawn up a draft resolution which notably provides for a further reduction in oil imports by Pyongyang.
According to a senior American official, a 2017 Security Council resolution, then adopted unanimously, called for additional sanctions in the event of an intercontinental ballistic missile launch like the one likely carried out on Wednesday by the North Koreans.
“
It was one of the conditions of this resolution.
That's exactly what happened and that's why we think now is the time to act
," he said, as Washington recently warned of an impending new North Korean nuclear test.
According to a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity, Beijing could adopt new sanctions in the event of nuclear experimentation.
But not for missile testing, he said.
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"
We don't believe that the American resolution can solve any problem
," a spokesman for the Chinese mission to the UN told AFP.
China proposed a council statement on North Korea but that suggestion "
fell on deaf ears in the United States
", he said.
The United States "
knows what is the best way for de-escalation but they simply refuse to do so
," said the spokesperson.
The US plan plans to reduce the amount of crude oil that North Korea would be allowed to import each year by four to three million barrels (525,000 tons to 393,750 tons).
The import of refined oil, limited to 500,000 barrels per year, would increase to 375,000 barrels (or 46,875 tons).
The text would also ban North Korean exports of mineral fuels and clocks, and any sale or transfer to Pyongyang of tobacco and tobacco products.
It also provides for individual and corporate sanctions.
Tobacco and cyber activities
It would also prevent the supply to North Korea of means of information and communication, in order to fight against the cyber-activities developed by Pyongyang to circumvent international sanctions.
Asked about a possible veto by China and Russia, the senior American official limited himself to affirming: "
We believe that this resolution will be strongly supported because it is a question of deep importance for us, obviously, and for our allies in Japan and South Korea
.
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For an ambassador member of the Security Council, speaking on condition of anonymity, a possible veto will have negative consequences for the UN in this file.
Pyongyang "
is making progress in its ballistic program, continuing to develop its proliferating nuclear activities and violating Security Council resolutions
".
But "
a division of the Security Council on this crisis would be bad
", he says, recalling that it is a crucial question of "
nuclear proliferation
".
In the past, North Korea has carried out six nuclear tests sanctioned in particular in 2017 by a triple series of heavy economic sanctions, adopted unanimously by the Security Council.
Since then, this Council has never succeeded in regaining its unity on this issue.
China and Russia have even gone so far as to draw up a draft resolution easing the sanctions against Pyongyang on a humanitarian basis.
