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U.S. Proposes Embargo, Sanctions...

By Philip Klein on 10.9.06 @ 3:32PM

as part of a proposal to the UN Security Council, the Washington Post reports. But not suprisingly, the Europeans are noncommital and the usual suspects of China and Russia sound like they'll oppose such measures:

China's U.N. ambassador, Wang Guangya, said Beijing is opposed to the North Korean test and that it is ready to discuss "how the Security Council could react firmly, constructively and prudently with regard to this challenge."

But he declined to say whether Beijing would support a sanctions resolution. "I think we have to react firmly, but also I believe that, on the other hand, that the door to solve this issue from diplomatic point of view is still open."

Russia's initial reaction was somewhat ambiguous. While Vitaly Churkin, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, condemned North Korea for conducting the test, he stopped short of calling for sanctions, saying only that North Korea would "face a very serious attitude" within the council.

Whether sanctions would be effective is debatable, but clearly nothing has a chance of working if China and Russia don't cooperate.

topics:
Russia, United Nations, North Korea