The United States is submitting a draft UN resolution that calls for "tougher, more comprehensive" sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear and ballistic tests, the US ambassador said today.
"It is a major upgrade" from past sanctions resolutions, Samantha Power told reporters ahead of a Security Council meeting to discuss the new package of measures.
"There will be, provided it goes forward, pressure on more points -- tougher, more comprehensive -- more sectors. It's breaking new ground in a whole host of ways," she said.
The draft text was presented to the 15-member council after the United States and China, Pyongyang's sole ally, agreed on the package of measures, capping six weeks of tough negotiations.
The UN Security Council decided to impose new measures on North Korea after it carried out its fourth nuclear test on January 6 and test-fired a rocket on February 7.
Both tests were in violation of a series of resolutions barring North Korea from developing nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The United States and China have been at odds over how to respond to the latest tests.
Beijing fears too much pressure on Pyongyang could trigger the collapse of the pariah regime, unleashing chaos on its border.
The United States had argued that a tough international response was needed to the nuclear test that North Korea defiantly followed by the rocket launch a month later.
After the Washington and Beijing agreed on the draft resolution, French Ambassador Francois Delattre said "the conditions are now met" for a "strong and consensual" response from the Security Council.
"We believe we'll have soon a resolution establishing unprecedented sanctions," Delattre said.
Venezuela's Ambassador Rafael Ramirez, who holds the council presidency, said he expected a vote on the draft resolution at the weekend.
The council has imposed four sets of sanctions on North Korea since it first tested an atomic device in 2006.
There are 20 North Korean entities and 12 individuals on the UN sanctions blacklist, which provides for an assets freeze and a global travel ban.
