The U. S. ambassador to the U.N., John Bolton, says China should take strong action against North Korea after Pyongyang's claimed nuclear test last week.
Bolton said in a televised interview Sunday on ABC News This Week the U.S. is doing what it can to isolate North Korea so it will give up on nuclear weapons, much in the same way Libya was isolated by the world community until it eventually gave up its chemical and nuclear weapons programs. But he said China has what he called a "heavy responsibility" to influence the behavior of its neighbor.
A U.N. resolution approved Saturday bans Pyongyang from importing or exporting some military hardware, and requires U.N. members to search vessels going to or coming from North Korea. It also aims to have some affect on leader Kim Jong Il's elite by banning sales of luxury goods to the country.
North Korea's U.N. ambassador, Pak Gil Yon, rejected the resolution Saturday and walked out of the Council chamber following the vote. He said Pyongyang considered further U.S. pressure a declaration of war.
North Korea's neighbors have welcomed the measure.
South Korea said it would "faithfully implement" the resolution, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tokyo is considering imposing additional sanctions on its own.
Although China voted for the measure, Beijing's U.N. ambassador , Wang Guangya, says China opposes the cargo inspections stipulated in the resolution. He warned countries against taking what he called "provocative steps."
Bolton said today he believes China will nevertheless conduct the inspections since it voted for the provision.
And the chairman of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun's Uri party says Seoul should not participate directly in interdicting North Korean shipping, saying such action could spark an armed conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit China, South Korea and Japan this week to discuss enforcement of the resolution.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.