Anchor: The UN Security Council is nearing adopting a sanctions resolution on North Korea thanks to progress in discussions between the U.S. and China. One variable, however, is Russia which may veto the measure.
Our Park Jong-hong has this report.
 
Report: The adoption of new sanctions on North Korea seems imminent, as the U.S. and China appear to have narrowed their differences over the specific contents of the UN Security Council’s(UNSC) punitive measures.
 
Chinese Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi told Reuters Thursday that the two countries have been working very hard for some time and they certainly hope that there is going to be a consensus resolution.
 
Other standing members of the UNSC including the UK and France have also confirmed this headway in discussions.
 
[Sound bite: Matthew Rycroft - UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations (English)]
"It's a huge threat to international peace and security that the DPRK now appears to have the capability to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile that could in theory hit the UK, it could hit most of Europe, it could hit most of the United States. That is a very significant threat to international peace and security, and the Security Council must respond rapidly and substantively with a new sanctions resolution - and I hope that that will come to pass."
 
[Sound bite: Francois Delattre - French Permanent Representative to the United Nations (English)]
"The last two launches have put us at the critical juncture and the credibility of the Security Council is at stake."
"Negotiations are making some progress, we are making collectively some progress toward resolution…"

As things stand, a final agreement is projected as early as this week and the draft will be referred to all the 15 members of the UNSC.
 
However, there is still a chance that Russia may veto the resolution which would result in a failed adoption.
 
This is because Russia has seen its ties with the US worsen lately and has even rejected claims that what North Korea launched last month was an intercontinental ballistic missile, asserting that it was rather a mid-range missile.
 
Sources say that delegates from Washington and Moscow are slated to meet by early next week to try and iron out their differences.
Park Jong-hong KBS World Radio News.

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