US opposes lifting key sanctions against North Korea

United States said Tuesday that it opposes a draft resolution proposed by China and Russia that would terminate U.N. sanctions on key rth Korean exports, calling measure “premature” at a time when Pyongyang is threatening to conduct “an escalated provocation” and is refusing to meet with U.S. officials to discuss denuclearization.

U.S. State Department said President Donald Trump “remains committed to making progress toward commitments” he me with rth Korean leer Kim Jong Un at ir first summit in Singapore in June 2018 on transforming relations between two countries, building lasting peace and ensuring complete denuclearization.

A State Department statement said U.S. remains committed to diplomacy to make progress toward se goals, but it “cant do this alone.”

draft resolution circulated to U.N. Security Council members Monday night would terminate sanctions on rth Korean exports including textiles, seafood and statues with intent of enhancing livelihood of civilian population. It would also lift a ban on rth Koreans working overseas and terminate a decision to repatriate all those earning income abro by Dec. 22.

China and Russia me se and or proposals 16 days before Kim’s end-of-December deline for United States to come up with new proposals to revive nuclear diplomacy.

Negotiations faltered after U.S. rejected rth Korean demands for bro sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of rth’s nuclear capabilities at Kim’s second summit with Trump last February.

rth Korea has carried out 13 ballistic missile launches since May trying to pressure Washington, and it has hinted at lifting its moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests if Trump ministration fails to make substantial concessions before new year.

China’s U.N. ambassor, Zhang Jun, told reporters Tuesday that resolution is t aimed at splitting 15-member Security Council but pursuing “a united approach approach in obtaining peace and security” on Korean peninsula and “to send a positive, constructive mess to parties concerned that we do t want a deteriorated situation, we do t want a confrontation.”

“You cant simply expect one party to do more things and with or party sitting re idle,” Zhang said.. “We need both parties to walk towards each or so as to build up mutual trust. With one step forward from one party, and n or party, makes that two steps forward. That’s something positive, that’s something constructive.”

Orwise, he said, re will be furr mistrust leing to “more negative things and hesitation” and “we’ll move backward again, and it will be” even furr from denuclearization and peace.

proposed resolution, obtained by Associated Press, welcomes continuing dialogue between United States and rth Korea, calls on all parties to consider implementing “furr practical steps to reduce military tension on Korean peninsula and probability of any military confrontation by all appropriate means.” Its suggestions included option of a formal declaration and/or a peace treaty ending 1950-53 Korean War.

It also calls for “prompt resumption of six-party talks or re-launch of multilateral consultations in any or similar format, with goal of facilitating a peaceful and comprehensive solution through dialogue.”

six-party talks involving rth Korea, South Korea, U.S., China, Russia and Japan began in 2003 and led Pyongyang to accept a deal in September 2005 to end its nuclear weapons program in exchange for security, ecomic and energy benefits. But after difficult negotiations, rth Korea refused to accept U.S.-proposed verification methods and agreement fell through in December 2008, and six-party talks have been stalled since n.