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The UN Security Council will vote Friday on a US-drafted resolution ramping up sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea(DPRK) by restricting oil supplies vital for Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programs.
The United States presented the draft resolution Thursday on new punitive measures in response to DPRK's test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on November 28.
It would be the third raft of sanctions imposed on DPRK this year and comes as the United States and DPRK are showing no signs they are willing to engage in talks to end the crisis on the Korean peninsula.
Diplomats said they expected the measure to be adopted during the meeting scheduled for 1:00 pm (1800 GMT).
Japan's Ambassador Koro Bessho, who holds the council presidency, said Japan supports the draft resolution "wholeheartedly" and voiced hope that there will be unanimous support.
Building on previous resolutions, the new draft tightens restrictions on crude and refined oil deliveries to DPRK.
The measure would ban the supply of nearly 90 percent of refined oil products to DPRK and order the repatriation of all DPRK nationals working abroad within 12 months, according to the text obtained by AFP.
The draft resolution would cap crude oil supplies to four million barrels per year and deliveries of refined petroleum products including diesel and kerosene would be capped at 500,000 barrels for next year.
Countries would be required to notify the United Nations of their oil shipments to DPRK.
Since September last year, DPRK has carried out a nuclear test -- its sixth -- and a series of advanced missile launches which are banned under UN resolutions.
Seizing ships
The measure would expand a list of banned exports from DPRK to include food products, machinery, electrical equipment, earth and stone including magnesite and magnesia, wood and vessels.
All countries would be authorized to seize, inspect, freeze and impound ships suspected of carrying illegal cargo to and from DPRK, according to the draft.
A total of 19 DPRK officials, most of whom work in banking, would be added to the UN sanctions blacklist along with the DPRK ministry of the people's armed forces, which manages logistics for the army.
They will be subjected to a global visa ban and assets freeze.
The United States has led the drive at the Security Council to tighten sanctions aimed at piling pressuring Kim Jong-Un's regime to come to the negotiating table.
Last week, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told the council that the "pressure campaign must and will continue until denuclearization is achieved" as he backtracked from his offer to hold unconditional talks with Pyongyang.
French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the new sanctions would pile pressure on Pyongyang "not for the sake of pressure, but in order to push for a dialogue and to have better leverage for the negotiations and the political solution we need."
In negotiations on previous sanctions, the United States has first agreed on provisions of each resolution before presenting the text to the full 15-member council, which has then quickly adopted it.
So far, the Security Council has imposed a ban on supplies of condensates and natural gas liquids to DPRK, capped deliveries of refined oil products to two million barrels a year, and capped crude oil exports at current levels.
The council has also banned exports of DPRK's coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, restricted joint ventures and ended the hiring of DPRK workers abroad.
(AFP)
