U. S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the U. N. sanctions on North Korea agreed this week were a small step and nothing compared to what would have to happen to deal with the country’s nuclear program.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U. S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the U. N. sanctions on North Korea agreed this week were a small step and nothing compared to what would have to happen to deal with the country’s nuclear program.
U. S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned China, North Korea’s main ally and trading partner, that if it did not follow through on the new measures, Washington would “put additional sanctions on them and prevent them from accessing the U. S. and international dollar system.”
Another senior administration official told Reuters any such “secondary sanctions” on Chinese banks and other companies were on hold for now to give time for China to show it was prepared to fully enforce the latest and previous rounds of sanctions.
The U. N. Security Council voted unanimously to boost sanctions on North Korea on Monday, banning its textile exports and capping fuel supplies, drawing from Pyongyang a threat of retaliation against the United States.
The U. N. action was triggered by North Korea’s sixth and largest nuclear test this month. It was the ninth Security Council sanctions resolution over North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs since 2006.
A tougher initial U. S. draft was weakened to win the support of China and Russia, both of which hold U. N. veto power. Significantly, it stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, most of which come from China.
“We think it’s just another very small step, not a big deal, ” Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
”I don’ t know if it has any impact, but certainly it was nice to get a 15-to-nothing vote, but those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen, ” said Trump, who has vowed not to allow North Korea to develop a nuclear missile capable of hitting the United States.
Asked if Trump was considering other actions, including cutting off Chinese banks from the U. S. financial system, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: “All options are on the table.
