The chair of the United Nation committee on North Korean sanctions said his panel was looking at more stringently enforcing past resolutions,including expanding the list of individuals or entities subject to assets freezes and travel bans,following Pyongyang's recent disclosure of its uranium enrichment. Turkish Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan told reporters on Monday that his committee discussed during the day's session "possible other ways to improve the implementation of these resolutions," adding that it also took up suggestions offered by other Security Council members in an informal meeting last week. On Thursday,US Ambassador Susan Rice,who is serving as the rotating council president of the month,said North Korea's construction of a light-water reactor and operation of a uranium enrichment plant equipped with thousands of centrifuges tops the council's agenda. The 15-member council failed earlier to garner unanimous support to respond to the recent moves,but she had suggested that it "would be appropriate" for the sanctions committee to play a role in discussing and assessing the recent events. Apakan was short on details of yesterday's meeting. "I will not be specific,but I'll tell you that our consultations will continue on this matter," he said. When asked specifically,however,whether the strengthened implementation would include an expanded list of individuals and entities,he said,"We are working on this. The consultations are all about.enhancing the implementation of resolutions." The committee's next meeting,he said,will take place later in December. The Security Council imposed sanctions resolution 1718 after North Korea tested a nuclear device in 2006. In response to another underground nuclear test in 2009,the council then adopted resolution 1874. Apakan also emphasized that his committee,which is charged with dealing with the nuclear dossier,is not in a position to react to the November 23 deadly firing of artillery into South Korea by the North. The International Criminal Court is now investigating North Korea's shelling strikes on Yeonpyeong Island that led to four deaths,as well as the earlier sinking of a South Korean naval ship that was allegedly fired on by a North Korean torpedo that resulted in the death of 46 people.
