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| Australia to ban N Korean ships | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Australia is to ban North Korean ships from entering its ports following its recent claimed nuclear weapons test, the foreign minister has announced. | Australia is to ban North Korean ships from entering its ports following its recent claimed nuclear weapons test, the foreign minister has announced. |
| Alexander Downer told Parliament the ban was in addition to sanctions that were agreed by the UN on Saturday. | Alexander Downer told Parliament the ban was in addition to sanctions that were agreed by the UN on Saturday. |
| The Australian move came as US envoy Christopher Hill arrived in Tokyo for talks on how to enforce the sanctions agreed against North Korea. | The Australian move came as US envoy Christopher Hill arrived in Tokyo for talks on how to enforce the sanctions agreed against North Korea. |
| The UN resolution imposes both weapons and financial sanctions on the North. | The UN resolution imposes both weapons and financial sanctions on the North. |
| But despite the unanimous vote, disagreements have emerged between the members of the council. | But despite the unanimous vote, disagreements have emerged between the members of the council. |
| Beijing has indicated that it still has reservations about carrying out the extensive cargo inspections that Washington says are called for in the resolution. | Beijing has indicated that it still has reservations about carrying out the extensive cargo inspections that Washington says are called for in the resolution. |
| Ship inspections | Ship inspections |
| "We will in Australia introduce a ban on North Korean vessels visiting Australian ports, except in the most dire of emergencies," Mr Downer told Parliament. | |
| "I think that will help Australia make a quite clear contribution to the United Nations sanctions regime." | "I think that will help Australia make a quite clear contribution to the United Nations sanctions regime." |
| The Security Council... condemns the nuclear test proclaimed by the DPRK on 9 October 2006 in flagrant disregard of its relevant resolutions UNSC Resolution 1718 Resolution in full (62K) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader Download the reader here | |
| Mr Hill is expected to spend two days in Tokyo, which banned North Korean ships from its ports last week. | Mr Hill is expected to spend two days in Tokyo, which banned North Korean ships from its ports last week. |
| Talks will focus on US-Japan co-operation over the North Korean crisis. | Talks will focus on US-Japan co-operation over the North Korean crisis. |
| Japan is looking at whether it can provide logistical support for US vessels if they start trying to inspect cargo ships going to or from North Korea. | Japan is looking at whether it can provide logistical support for US vessels if they start trying to inspect cargo ships going to or from North Korea. |
| Mr Downer indicated Australia, another key US ally, may also provide help in carrying out any stop and search. | Mr Downer indicated Australia, another key US ally, may also provide help in carrying out any stop and search. |
| 'Heavy responsibility' | |
| The UN resolution against North Korea was agreed on Saturday after lengthy negotiations. | |
| It imposes tough weapons restrictions, targets luxury goods and imposes a travel ban on some North Korean officials. | |
| Mr Hill offered the meeting during his recent visit to China | |
| It also allows the inspection of cargo vessels going in and out of North Korea for banned materials, although the resolution was weakened slightly at China and Russia's insistence, to make this provision less mandatory. | |
| Beijing's UN envoy, Wang Guangya, said immediately after the vote that China urged countries to "refrain from taking any provocative steps that may intensify the tension". | |
| Mr Bolton said China had a "heavy responsibility". Both Russia and China are concerned that inspections could spark naval confrontations with North Korean boats. | |
| But Mr Bolton told American television that China had voted for the sanctions and therefore "China itself now has an obligation to make sure that it complies." | |
| North Korea has reacted angrily to the resolution. Its UN envoy, Pak Gil-yon, condemned the move before storming out of the meeting in New York. | |
| The isolated communist state announced on 9 October that it had carried out an underground nuclear test near Gilju in Hamgyong province. | |
| US officials said on Saturday that preliminary results of scientific tests appeared to confirm that that claim was true, but they stressed that more tests were needed to reach a conclusion. |