Rice begins Asian tour today to support for UN sanctions to NKorea

Washington, Oct 17 (UNI) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice begins her Asia tour today to drum up support for UN sanctions against North Korea, with a declaration of her willingness to participate in the stalled Six-Party Talks without any preconditions.

Talking to newsmen here yesterday, she said she would be visiting Seoul (South Korea), Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow (October 17-22) to discuss implementation of the UN Security Council resolution 1718, imposing sanctions on Pyongyang for the latter's nuclear test.

Rice said the resolution contained ''unprecedented sanctions,'' and the countries must work together to advance common goals.

''Every country in the region must share the burdens as well as the benefits of our common security,'' she said.

The resolution bans trade with North Korea on all materials with direct or dual use applications for weapons of mass destruction (WMD), prohibits nations from providing North Korea any assistance in developing or using WMD and freezes all funds and economic resources designated by the Security Council's sanctions committee as being connected with Pyongyang's WMD programmes.

The resolution also calls on countries to cooperate in preventing trafficking of weapons (WMD materials by inspecting cargo to and from North Korea and prohibits the sale of luxury goods.

Humanitarian goods and services are exempt from the sanctions.

Meanwhile, the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence confirmed yesterday that air samples collected October 11, two days after North Korea reported it had conducted an underground nuclear explosion, contain radioactive debris.

Rice said the steps the world takes in countering North Korea's recalcitrance would also send a message to Iran, which is pursuing its own nuclear weapons programme.

''The Iranian government is watching and it can now see that the international community will respond to threats from nuclear proliferation,'' Rice said.

She said she expected the Security Council to begin work this week on an Iran sanctions resolution so the Iranian government should consider the course that it is on, which could lead simply to further isolation.

The Secretary acknowledged that the world's nonproliferation regime is ''strained,'' but added that it is ''not broken.'' Rice discounted reports that China may be unwilling to take harsh measures against Pyongyang. ''I am not concerned that the Chinese are going to turn their backs on their obligations,''she said.

UNI XC SRS PM0717