Powers near deal on North Korea sanctions

UNITED NATIONS — The Security Council edged closer to agreement late Thursday on a draft sanctions resolution designed to strangle North Korea's missile and nuclear programs and their funding in response to the country's announced nuclear test.

After high-level negotiations in Washington, Beijing and Moscow, diplomats at the United Nations worked out a compromise specifying that the resolution could not be used as a basis for military action.

The resolution also calls for an embargo on conventional weapons, a ban on luxury goods, a prohibition on materials related to North Korea's missile and nuclear programs and a freeze on financial activities that support them, and a travel ban for senior North Korean officials. It also would allow the interception and inspection of suspected nuclear and missile materials going to and from North Korea.

Russia and China, sensitive to the prospect of intrusive activity so close to their borders, are concerned about whether proposed inspections of all North Korean cargo would be legal. The neighbors, which as permanent members of the Security Council hold veto power, had balked at an earlier draft circulated by the United States on Thursday. The new measure says the inspections should be "cooperative."

The United States added the provision against military action after a special envoy from China met with President Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and national-security adviser Stephen Hadley at the White House.

The envoy, Tang Jiaxuan, told them that China agreed "strong measures" were needed to punish North Korea but that it wanted only sanctions related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones said.

After the meeting, Rice said it would take more effort on both sides to gain the support of China, which would have to implement many of the sanctions.

"I think the Chinese clearly understand the gravity of the situation," Rice said. She said if the vote did not happen today, "I think it will be soon."

Tang goes to Moscow for meetings today and Saturday, while South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun travels to Beijing to discuss the issue.

"I don't want to say we've reached agreement, but many, many of the significant differences have been closed," said U.S. Ambassador John Bolton, after a meeting with the council's permanent members and Japan. "But I'm very pleased with the progress we've made, and I think it's close to the point where we will have an agreement."

The other permanent members of the council are Britain and France.

The new draft was sent to capitals for consideration in time for a possible vote today or Saturday.

Russia's ambassador at the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, said he had urged Bolton early Thursday to slow down the process to ensure full agreement by the council and to prevent problems in the resolution's implementation.

Bolton said the United States would consider changes in the resolution but was determined to vote on it by the end of the week: "I think the council should try to respond to a nuclear test within the same week that the test occurred."

Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya said the resolution should be "firm, forceful and appropriate," adding that he was willing to accept the article of Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter that authorizes economic sanctions but not the part that allows military action.