Led by the United States, the Security Council adopted three sanctions resolutions last year aimed at depriving North Korea of revenue for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a council meeting that the thaw in relations between North and South Korea — combined with warmer US-North Korean ties — should lead to sanctions relief.
“Given the positive developments,” Wang said the council should consider a provision to “modify the sanctions measures in light of the DPRK’s compliance.”
Russia backed China’s call to consider a sanctions review.
Declaring that sanctions should not become a form of “collective punishment,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov argued that it was time to send a positive signal to Pyongyang to encourage concessions.
“Steps by the DPRK towards gradual disarmament should be followed by an easing of sanctions,” said Lavrov.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo opened the meeting, held during the annual UN General Assembly session, by demanding strict enforcement of sanctions.
Pompeo — who will pay his fourth visit to Pyongyang next month — voiced hope for the “dawn of a new day” with Pyongyang, but credited sanctions with bringing North Korea to the table and said there should be no let-up in pressure.
“Enforcement of UN Security Council sanctions must continue vigorously and without fail until we realise final, fully verified denuclearisation,” Pompeo said.
“The members of this Council must set the example on that effort, and we must all hold each other accountable.”
In thinly veiled criticism of China, which is by far the most important trading partner of North Korea, Pompeo said sanctions have been repeatedly violated — including, this year already, its annual cap of importing 500,000 barrels of oil.
Pompeo said the United States had also detected inter-ship transfers of refined petroleum, which is also banned under UN sanctions, and said that North Korea was illegally exporting coal to fund its weapons programme.
He also criticised Russia for bringing in workers from North Korea — which human rights groups consider a vital source of hard currency for the regime, with the labourers often working in slave-like conditions on construction sites.
China, which has fast-deteriorating relations with US President Donald Trump yet has largely welcomed his outreach to North Korea, stressed the need for diplomacy.
“China firmly believes that pressure is not the end,” Wang said. “Both implementing sanctions and promoting political settlement are equally important.”
Lavrov said it was “inappropriate and untimely” for the United States and its partners to “impose a course of tightening sanctions” when North Korea has “taken important steps” towards denuclearisation.
“It seems it would be logical to strengthen this momentum,” said Lavrov.
The Russian foreign minister also accused the United States of hypocrisy after Trump abandoned an international agreement on Iran, which drastically cut back its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
North Korean representatives attended the Security Council session, but they did not ask to speak.
On Wednesday, Pompeo met his North Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, and called the talks “very positive.” — AFP
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