U.S. & World News

UNITED NATIONS (AP) ― The Security Council finds itself having to grapple simultaneously with two threats to the spread of weapons of mass destruction — Iran's refusal to stop enriching uranium and North Korea's nuclear arms program and missile tests.

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton says the council's response will be a test of its effectiveness in dealing with rogue states with nuclear ambitions and protecting innocent civilians.

Key council members met Thursday for more discussions on both countries, but took no actions.

North Korea and Iran landing on the council's agenda at the same time is a coincidence, but Bolton said Wednesday that "they are certainly watching each other, and they are watching how the Security Council performs."

North Korea declared in 2004 that it has nuclear weapons, but it was Pyongyang's July 4 test launch of ballistic missiles capable of being equipped with nuclear warheads that put the reclusive communist nation at the top of the council's agenda.

The U.N. nuclear agency first referred Iran to the Security Council in March over fears it is seeking nuclear weapons. Iran ended a freeze on uranium enrichment in January, saying it wants to produce nuclear fuel to generate electricity — but the U.S., Britain and France suspect Tehran's aim is to produce highly enriched uranium that can be used for nuclear warheads.

When the council took up Iran, however, the Chinese and Russians balked at U.S., British and French efforts to put a resolution demanding that Tehran suspend uranium enrichment under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, a move that would allow the order to be enforced militarily.

That led to ministerial meetings of the five veto-wielding council nations and Germany, producing an agreement on a package of economic and energy incentives that were offered to Iran if it agreed to suspend uranium enrichment.

The foreign ministers of the six nations set Wednesday as a deadline and concluded at a meeting in Paris that the Iranians had given "no indication at all that they are ready to engage seriously on the substance of our proposals."

Therefore, they referred the matter back to the Security Council and will seek a resolution making the suspension of Iran's uranium enrichment mandatory. If Iran doesn't comply, the six powers agreed to adopt nonmilitary sanctions that could include economic or diplomatic measures.

Bolton told reporters he expected the council to adopt a resolution giving Iran "a limited, fixed period of time" to suspend all enrichment activities.

"We hope to move as quickly as possible, possibly within the next few days, but realistically early next week," he told reporters.

Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya cautioned Thursday that the council should act "prudently" and said whether to put a resolution under Chapter 7 had to be discussed.

Getting agreement on a resolution on North Korea could prove more difficult.

Japan, which worries about being a target of Pyongyang's missiles, has proposed a resolution and is pressing for a vote this week.

The Japanese draft, backed by the U.S., Britain, France and four other council members, would impose sanctions on North Korea's missile and nuclear programs under Chapter 7, and declare that Pyongyang's recent missile tests were a threat to international peace and security.

But China and Russia have objected. Wang said he would use his country's veto to block its adoption.

On Wednesday, China and Russia introduced a rival resolution that drops mandatory sanctions, Chapter 7, and the declaration that the missile launches threatened international peace.

While Bolton and Japanese Ambassador Kenzo Oshima welcomed China and Russia's decision to back a resolution rather than a weaker council statement, they criticized the new draft for eliminating crucial elements.

They said that they want a vote on the Japanese draft — even if China casts a veto — but they also would give a Chinese diplomatic mission, which is in Pyongyang until Friday, a chance to persuade the North Koreans to change course.

The Americans and Japanese said they want to see if North Korea agrees to accept a moratorium on missile tests, return to international talks on its nuclear program, and commit to implementing an agreement signed last September. In that accord, North Korea agreed to get rid of all nuclear weapons and abandon its nuclear program.

Oshima told reporters Thursday that the differences between China and Japan are "very, very difficult ones." But he said Japan wants a council decision by the weekend, when the leaders of the Group of Eight powers — including Japan — meet in Russia.

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