Goal of sanctions not to punish N Korea: China

Beijing, Oct 12: China today said any sanctions against North Korea for its reported nuclear test should be aimed not at punishment but at encouraging a peaceful resolution of the crisis.

Beijing's latest comments come as it contends with Washington and Japan over sanctions the UN Security Council might back to punish North Korea for its action.

China's UN ambassador, Wang Guangya, said on Tuesday that North Korea had to face some ''punitive actions''.

Asked today about Wang's comment, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said there were differences of understandings of the word punishment.

''One can say that punishment isn't the goal,'' he told a news conference, adding that any sanctions would be to encourage North Korea to return to talks.

''We also believe it is necessary that the international community indicate that it cannot accept the DPRK carrying out a nuclear test,'' he said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

He declined to comment on specifics of what China wanted to see in a UN resolution.

''Any decision, any resolution, must be conducive to resolving the issue peacefully,'' Liu said.

China condemned North Korea's nuclear move on Monday as a ''brazen'' breach of trust, opening a rift with its neighbour and long-time Communist ally.

But Chinese diplomats have said they still hope for a resumption of six-party talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme, and have resisted Washington's proposed UN draft.

The U S draft, backed by Japan, calls for an arms embargo, a ban on any transfers or development of weapons of mass destruction, and a halt to exports of luxury goods to the North.

It would also freeze funds overseas of people or businesses connected with North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, and invokes Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which can be used to authorise military action to enforce a decision.

Chinese UN envoy Wang said Beijing wanted to restrict the Chapter 7 mention to Article 41, which would authorise a narrower list of sanctions and exclude military action.

North Korea has threatened more tests, saying US pressure to end its arms programme would be tantamount to a ''declaration of war.''

REUTERS

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