US, China sign deal to impose more sanctions on North Korea

Washington, DC, United States (4E) – Weeks after intense negotiations following North Korea’s ballistic missile test last December, the United States on Friday finalized a deal with China under which United Nations Security Council would pass more sanctions on the Communist state in the coming days.

The U.N. is expected to send the proposed resolution to all 15 Security Council members and is likely to be approved next week. The deal is signed between U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, diplomats said.

The U.S. has long been seeking to impose tough sanctions on North Korea for launching the rocket last year – a call China rejected to protect its ally.

“This is a compromise,” one of the diplomats said. “The United States will get a formal resolution and widening use of the existing measures. China can say that it has avoided new sanctions. It is just awaiting China’s final approval,” said another envoy.

Diplomats said that the countries want the U.N. to pass the resolution before next month when South Korea is due to take over the Security Council’s presidency. There were no comments by U.S. or China on the negotiations.

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