UNSC/DPRK: COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTS RESOLUTION

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001978

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC KNNP KN
SUBJECT: UNSC/DPRK: COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTS RESOLUTION
1718

REF: STATE 172756


1. On Saturday, October 14 the Security Council unanimously
adopted Resolution 1718, in response to the proclaimed test
of a nuclear weapon by the DPRK on Monday, October 9.
Following negotiations on the morning of October 14 among the
P-5 and Japan, the draft resolution was introduced to the
Council as a "Presidential text", indicating that all fifteen
members of the Council were prepared to co-sponsor it.


2. Following unanimous adoption of the resolution, Ambassador
Bolton delivered the U.S. explanation of vote (text below).
After additional statements from France, China, the UK,
Russia, Argentina and Japan, the DPRK took the floor to
"totally reject" the Council's "coercive" resolution,
accusing the U.S. of "manipulating the Council" into agreeing
to it. The DPRK repeated, verbatim, much of their statement
of October 11 (which has been circulated by the Council as
document S/2006/801). After concluding, "If the U.S.
increases pressure up on the DPRK, persistently doing harm to
it, it will continue to take physical countermeasures,
considering this a declaration of war," the DPRK delegation
stood up and walked out of the Council chamber.


3. Text of Ambassador Bolton's statement:

Mr. President,

We welcome the unanimous adoption of Resolution 1718. The
proclaimed test of a nuclear device by the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea unquestionably poses one of the
gravest threats to international peace and security that this
Council has ever had to confront. Today, we are sending a
strong and clear message to North Korea and other would be
proliferators that there will be serious repercussions in
continuing to pursue weapons of mass destruction.

Three months ago, this Council sent an unequivocal and
unambiguous message to the DPRK: 1) suspend your ballistic
missile program; 2) stop your procurement of materials
related to weapons of mass destruction; and 3) verifiably
dismantle your nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.
Security Council Resolution 1695 also demonstrated to North
Korea that the best way to improve the livelihood of its
people and end its international isolation is to stop playing
games of brinkmanship, comply with the demands of the
Security Council, return to the Six-Party talks, and
implement the terms of the Joint Statement from the last
round of those talks.

Sadly, the regime in Pyongyang chose a disturbingly different
path. It answered the Security Council's demands with yet
another direct threat to international peace and security,
proclaiming to the world that it has conducted a successful
nuclear weapons test. And with its actions, the North Korean
regime has once again broken its word, provoked an
international crisis, and denied its people the opportunity
for a better life.

Mr. President, three months ago the United States counseled
the members of this body to be prepared for further action in
the event that North Korea failed to make the strategic
decision to give up its pursuit of weapons of mass
destruction (WMD) and comply with Resolution 1695. We are
pleased that the Security Council is united in condemning the
actions by the regime in Pyongyang and taking clear, firm and
punitive action in passing this resolution, thus proving to
North Korea and others that the Security Council is prepared
to meet threats to international security with swift resolve.

This resolution demands action. Acting under Chapter VII, it
has imposed punitive sanctions on Kim Jong Il's regime. It
has broad provisions deciding that Member States shall not
engage in any trade with the DPRK, not only for items which
could contribute to their nuclear weapons and other WMD
programs, but for high-end military equipment as well. The
United States will rely on a number of control lists already
in place as a baseline to implement the decision by the
Security Council to ban trade with North Korea in WMD-related
materials, including lists published by the Nuclear Suppliers
Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime and the
Australia Group. To further this goal, this resolution also
prevents the travel of government officials of the DPRK known
to be involved in their WMD efforts.

This resolution also targets other illicit activities of the
regime in Pyongyang, and includes a ban on trade in luxury
goods. It targets the way Kim Jong Il finances his weapons
of mass destruction programs through criminal activities like
money laundering, counterfeiting, and selling of narcotics.
It imposes a binding requirement on all Member States to take


action against those activities and freeze the assets of
entities and individuals of the DPRK involved. The
resolution also provides for a regime of inspections to
ensure compliance with its provisions, building on the
existing work of the Proliferation Security Initiative.

The resolution imposes other strict demands on the DPRK. It
requires Pyongyang not to conduct any further nuclear test or
launch of a ballistic missile. It demands that North Korea
abandon all of its WMD programs, including nuclear, chemical,
and biological weapons, in a complete, verifiable and
irreversible manner.

It is our understanding that the DPRK's full compliance with
this resolution and the successful resumption of the
Six-Party Talks would lead to the Council acting to lift the
measures imposed by this resolution. At the same time, we
need to be prepared if North Korea again decides to ignore
the Security Council, and continue its pursuit of WMD and the
means to deliver them. This is why it is important that the
United States and other Member States have the opportunity at
any point in time to strengthen measures against North Korea
and return to the Council for further action.

As we pursue a diplomatic solution, we are also reassuring
our allies in the region that America remains committed to
their security. In response to North Korea's provocation, we
will seek to increase our defense cooperation with our
allies, including cooperation on ballistic missile defense to
protect against North Korean aggression, and cooperation to
prevent North Korea from importing or exporting nuclear or
missile technologies.

Our goals remain clear: peace and security in Northeast Asia,
and a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. We will support our
allies in the region, we will work with the Security Council,
and together we will ensure that North Korea faces serious
consequences if it continues down its current path.

Let me end with a final point. This resolution provides a
carve-out for humanitarian relief efforts in North Korea.
The reason is clear: the concern of the Security Council is
with the regime in Pyongyang, not the starving and suffering
people of North Korea. We hope that North Korea implements
and complies fully with the provisions of this resolution, in
the hope that its people can have a brighter future.

End Text.
BOLTON