World aligns against N. Korea for nuclear test

updated 10:33 p.m. ET Oct. 9, 2006

UNITED NATIONS - The world's nations expressed opposition to North Korea on Monday for staging a nuclear test denounced even by key allies. President Bush called it “a threat to international peace and security,” and the U.N. Security Council weighed severe sanctions to punish the impoverished but reclusive communist nation.

Bush called the communist regime’s claim of a nuclear test a provocative act and warned Pyongyang against exporting nuclear materials.

“Once again, North Korea has defied the will of the international community, and the international community will respond,” Bush said.

Bush said North Korea already is one of the world’s leading proliferators of missile technology, including transfers to Iran and Syria.

“The transfer of nuclear weapons or material by North Korea to states or nonstate entities would be considered a grave threat to the United States,” Bush said in a brief statement in the diplomatic reception room at the White House. “And we would hold North Korea fully accountable for the consequences of such action.”

There was no talk of military action. But the United States circulated a draft U.N. resolution late Monday that would condemn North Korea’s nuclear test and impose tough sanctions on  Pyongyang for flagrantly disregarding the Security Council’s appeal not to detonate a device.

The draft, obtained by the Associated Press, incorporates proposals circulated by the U.S. earlier in the day, and adds new proposals from Japan that would ban all countries from allowing any North Korean ships in their ports or any North Korean aircraft from taking off or landing in their territory.

The new Japanese proposals would also impose travel restrictions on high-ranking North Korean officials.

Nine years and a day
The reported test came one day after the ninth anniversary of reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s accession to power.

Members of the 15-nation Security Council were unanimous Monday in denouncing the claim amid worldwide concern that it could seriously destabilize the region, with even North Korean ally China saying it was strongly opposed to the move.

“No one defended it, no one even came close to defending it,” U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said. “I was very impressed by the unanimity of the council ... on the need for a strong and swift answer to what everyone agreed amounted to a threat to international peace and security.”

The Security Council had warned the impoverished and isolated nation just two days earlier not to go through with a test, and Bolton said Washington will seek U.N. sanctions to curb North Korea’s import and export of material for weapons of mass destruction, as well as its illicit financial activities.

Sanction specifics
Bolton and key U.S. allies, including Britain and France, sought a resolution under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter that would seek punishing measures, going beyond the limited sanctions in a measure adopted by the council in July after North Korea conducted seven missile tests.

Chapter 7 grants the council the authority to impose a range of measures including breaking diplomatic ties, imposing economic and military action.

North Korea’s U.N. ambassador Pak Gil Yon said the Security Council should congratulate his country instead of passing “useless” resolutions or statements.

AP Television News footage showed North Koreans going about their daily business and there were no signs of heightened alert by security forces in Pyongyang on Monday, hours after their government said it performed a nuclear weapons test.

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