The U.N. Security Council votes unanimously to impose sanctions on North Korea

cnn ^ | Saturday October 14, 2006 6:31 PM

[maquiladora]

The U.N. Security Council votes unanimously to impose sanctions on North Korea to punish Pyongyang for its purported nuclear test.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

"And, if he doesn't comply, I'm going to throttle that perverted little rodent like this."

[JimSEA]

But the measure specifically excludes military force.

How does one stop a ship at sea without the threat, at least, of military force. Do you say "stop" and if that doesn't work escalate to "Pretty Please Stop."

[No Blue States]

Oct 14 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council imposed financial and weapons sanction on North Korea on Saturday to punish Pyongyang for its underground nuclear test on Monday. The vote was a unanimous 15-0.


Here are the highlights of the resolution:

* Calls upon countries to take "cooperative" action through inspection of cargo to and from North Korea to prevent illicit trafficking in nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and related materials.

* Decides that North Korea should abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and ballistic missiles programs in a "complete, verifiable and irreversible" manner.

* Bans trade with North Korea on battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, large caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles or missile systems.

* Ban trade with North Korea in all items, materials, equipment, goods and technology that could contribute to the country's nuclear-related, ballistic missile-related or other weapons of mass destruction-related programs.

* Bans luxury goods going to North Korea.

* Decides all countries should freeze funds, other financial assets and economic resources that are owned, controlled, directly or indirectly by people engaged in or providing support for North Korea's unconventional weapons.

* Allow a travel ban on people and their families supporting or promoting North Korea's policies on dangerous weapons programs, providing names are approved by a Security Council sanctions committee.

* Encourages efforts to intensify diplomatic efforts, refrain from any actions that might aggravate tension and to facilitate the early resumption of the six-party talks -- between North Korea, South Korea, the United States, Russia, China and Japan -- aimed at convincing Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

[No Blue States]

link for the above:

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/061014/3/2rcbl.html

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Is there anything to this psycho that isn't an act of war?

I'd wager that "Duck Soup" is one of his favorite movies.

[flynmudd]

He said it was an act of war.

[Kay]

Excellent reporting.

[maquiladora]

The "excludes military force" is in reference to the action which can be taken if NK does not comply with the resolution, but if they put up a struggle or have an armed escort tagging along then you don't need specific wording to tell you how to respond in self defense.

I'm sure the Navy already has ROE for such operations.

[ConservativeGreek]

Too bad that pic wasn't an action shot!

[Billthedrill]

This is essentially international sanction for a naval blockade. Of course, North Korean ships carrying other than weapons technology are free to pass but they're not exactly an exporting nation other than the shoe factories, etc, that the South has built under the "Sunshine Policy." Nor is it unprecedented - as John Carey pointed out in another thread the Spanish have already intercepted a ship with NK weapons bound for the Middle East.

Of course the UN depends on member nations' armed forces to enforce this resolution. They haven't any of their own and thank God for that. The real key is the cooperation of the Chinese with respect to the only land route out of North Korea. With that cooperation Kim is essentially isolated, without it the Chinese have the potential to act as they did in the Korean war - a middle-man who gets his cut off the top. This is likely to cost them more in both the short and long runs than it will benefit them - they don't need Kim's technology as they did the Soviet technology half a century ago.

Kim's only real option at the moment is to squeal like a pig and issue thunderous threats to all concerned, and to escalate the tension along the Southern border with the commando raids the North has been practicing for that same half a century. Seoul and its environs may have some difficult times ahead.

[No Blue States]

Thanks.

"The United States had initially called for acting under the entire Chapter 7, including Article 42 that opens the way for military options under the world body as well as international economic sanctions, but finally made concessions to China and Russia which are concerned about possible use of force."

[ohioWfan]

Oh.........OK.

I'm optimistic about Bolton too, and I trust this administration to be as tough on NK as they need to be, regardless of the impotent UN.

[NinoFan]

What if North Korea refuses to let them board? Do we have to wait for a new resolution in order for our guys to be able to force themselves at weapon-point on to the ship? The "excludes military force" is a pretty big thing. I think it will come back to bite us in the rear, especially if our guys do something that China or Russia consider "military force".

[PghBaldy]

If the AP article is true, it isn't as much as it could have been: "To meet Russian and Chinese concerns, the Americans eliminated a complete ban on the sale of conventional weapons. Instead, the resolution limits the embargo to major hardware such as tanks, warships, combat aircraft and missiles." Article also says China is against boarding & search of ships... Ugh.

[Nathan Zachary]

It wasn't a lecture, it was a different opinion. No need to get in a snit. I wasn't the only one to repond to your post either.
if post 87 is what you really feel, then what was the point of post 67? Bait?

[maquiladora]

It's a good point. Kim is running out of options on the ladder of escalating provocations.

He will now probably try and generate an even graver crisis in the hope of the US caving into emergencey bilateral talks. He's tried it with walking away from the six party talks, test firing long/medium range missiles and now testing a nuclear weapon. The only thing left for him to try now is to begin posturing for an attack on the South or Japan in the hope of the US jumping in at the last minute for talks rather than risk conflict.

[PghBaldy]

Wasn't the Korean War a UN Police Action?

[maquiladora]

The resolution was passed under Article 41 of Chapter 7, which reads:

The Security Council may decide what measures not involving the use of armed force are to be employed to give effect to its decisions, and it may call upon the Members of the United Nations to apply such measures. These may include complete or partial interruption of economic relations and of rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio, and other means of communication, and the severance of diplomatic relations.

But... "Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations."

So if they refuse to be boarded by threatening to or using force, then they can be attacked under the self-defence article.

[frankenMonkey]

I heard they typed the resolution in all caps! They're serious this time.
They included a lot of exclamation points, too!!!!!

[PghBaldy]

I think President Bush is a very good man, and I voted for him (first time voted for a Repub Pres). That said, I do find it disturbing that the UN has ipso facto taken the place of our Congress.