US seeks new mechanism to monitor North Korean sanctions

Al Jazeera:

The United States is investigating options to create a new mechanism for monitoring sanctions on North Korea’s nuclear programme.

The US ambassador to the United Nations said on Wednesday that Washington is looking at options within and outside the UN. Russia last month vetoed a UN Security Council resolution to renew the UN panel that has been overseeing Pyongyang’s compliance with international sanctions.

The US is looking to engage with allies South Korea, Japan and other “like-minded” countries on alternatives, Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters.

“The point here is that we cannot allow the work that the panel of experts were doing to lapse,” she declared.

Moscow’s veto effectively abolished the regime, which was established to monitor North Korea’s compliance with UN sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes nearly 20 years ago.

The Russian move follows accusations from the US, South Korea and others that Pyongyang is supplying Moscow with weapons to use in its war in Ukraine.

Thomas-Greenfield provided no details about the discussions. In particular, whether the alternative monitoring regime might more likely be established through the UN General Assembly or entirely outside the UN.