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| Asian states hail sanctions vote | Asian states hail sanctions vote |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Japan and South Korea have welcomed the sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council on the North after its claimed nuclear test on Monday. | Japan and South Korea have welcomed the sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council on the North after its claimed nuclear test on Monday. |
| Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan said the world had sent North Korea a strong message that its possession of nuclear weapons would not be tolerated. | Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan said the world had sent North Korea a strong message that its possession of nuclear weapons would not be tolerated. |
| He added that Tokyo was considering further sanctions of its own. | He added that Tokyo was considering further sanctions of its own. |
| But Russia says that North Korea wants six-nation talks on ending its nuclear weapons programme to go on. | |
| "The North Korean side repeatedly insisted that the six-sided process should continue, that it is not rejecting six-sided negotiations," Interfax news agency quoted Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Alexander Alexeyev as saying after talks with his North Korean counterpart Kim Ky-kwan in Pyongyang. | |
| 'Swift and tough' | |
| The Security Council on Saturday approved unanimously Resolution 1718 which imposes weapons and financial sanctions but is not backed by the threat of military force. | The Security Council on Saturday approved unanimously Resolution 1718 which imposes weapons and financial sanctions but is not backed by the threat of military force. |
| North Korea's UN envoy walked out in response while the two Council members closest to it made guarded comments. | North Korea's UN envoy walked out in response while the two Council members closest to it made guarded comments. |
| China said it had "reservations" about provisions for cargo checks on North Korean ships and Russia said the sanctions should not be viewed as indefinite. | China said it had "reservations" about provisions for cargo checks on North Korean ships and Russia said the sanctions should not be viewed as indefinite. |
| US President George W Bush said the UN had taken a "swift and tough" step to show its determination to keep the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons. | US President George W Bush said the UN had taken a "swift and tough" step to show its determination to keep the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons. |
| And the incoming UN Secretary General, South Korea's Ban Ki-moon, has told the BBC that he is prepared to travel to Pyongyang if necessary to defuse the crisis. | And the incoming UN Secretary General, South Korea's Ban Ki-moon, has told the BBC that he is prepared to travel to Pyongyang if necessary to defuse the crisis. |
| Shipping dilemma | Shipping dilemma |
| The South Korean foreign ministry said it would honour the new sanctions and urged the North to return to the six-nation talks. | |
| The Security Council... condemns the nuclear test proclaimed by the DPRK on 9 October 2006 in flagrant disregard of its relevant resolutions UNSC Resolution 1718 Resolution in full (62K) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader Download the reader here | The Security Council... condemns the nuclear test proclaimed by the DPRK on 9 October 2006 in flagrant disregard of its relevant resolutions UNSC Resolution 1718 Resolution in full (62K) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader Download the reader here |
| Japan's prime minister said he was "already studying [additional measures]". | Japan's prime minister said he was "already studying [additional measures]". |
| His government unilaterally imposed some sanctions on Wednesday, banning all North Korean imports and stopping its ships entering Japanese waters. | His government unilaterally imposed some sanctions on Wednesday, banning all North Korean imports and stopping its ships entering Japanese waters. |
| Foreign Minister Taro Aso predicted that it would up to two weeks for the US to draft a plan for checking North Korean shipping. | Foreign Minister Taro Aso predicted that it would up to two weeks for the US to draft a plan for checking North Korean shipping. |
| China and Russia have been concerned that the cargo inspections permitted in the resolution could spark naval confrontations with North Korean boats. | China and Russia have been concerned that the cargo inspections permitted in the resolution could spark naval confrontations with North Korean boats. |
| The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says that Beijing's chief concern is still the stability of North Korea and it also does not want to open the way to anything that might look like a naval blockade of the country. | The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says that Beijing's chief concern is still the stability of North Korea and it also does not want to open the way to anything that might look like a naval blockade of the country. |
| Famine signals | Famine signals |
| Aid organisation say they are concerned that the sanctions will hurt still further a country barely able to feed itself. | Aid organisation say they are concerned that the sanctions will hurt still further a country barely able to feed itself. |
| "It is a very fragile country and there is a lot of hardship and we are trying to take care of the people," Jaap Timmer, head of the Red Cross's Pyongyang delegation, told AFP news agency. | "It is a very fragile country and there is a lot of hardship and we are trying to take care of the people," Jaap Timmer, head of the Red Cross's Pyongyang delegation, told AFP news agency. |
| "Humanitarian aid should not be dependent on political decisions and so we are hoping that from a moral point of view, any pressure on the government will not impact on ordinary people." | "Humanitarian aid should not be dependent on political decisions and so we are hoping that from a moral point of view, any pressure on the government will not impact on ordinary people." |
| Erica Kang of the South Korean humanitarian group Good Friends said that there were worrying signs of hunger reminiscent of the 1990s famines. | Erica Kang of the South Korean humanitarian group Good Friends said that there were worrying signs of hunger reminiscent of the 1990s famines. |
| "There are more people eating alternative foods, having to forage rather than having grain for their main meal... winter is coming shortly and we are very concerned about that," she said. | "There are more people eating alternative foods, having to forage rather than having grain for their main meal... winter is coming shortly and we are very concerned about that," she said. |