The UN Security Council unanimously voted Saturday to pass a resolution imposing sanctions on North Korea following a reported nuclear test in the reclusive Communist state.
"If the country declares a nuclear arms race to be its national priority, the response by the international community is clearly justified," Mikhail Margelov said.
He said the resolution does not provide for an economic blockade or other sanctions that could affect the population of North Korea, adding the "military-technical blockade" of Pyongyang will help prevent North Korea from emerging as yet another nuclear power.
The lower house of parliament's foreign relations committee head shared the view.
"I hope this will send a strong signal to North Korea," Konstantin Kosachev said. "This consolidation [of the international community in passing the resolution] is a new element in the situation. I hope that North Korea will heed the signal."
The UN Security Council resolution aims to suppress North Korea's nuclear ambitions but does not provide for economic sanctions or the use of force.
The resolution, which called North Korea's test a "clear threat to international peace and security," allows for the inspection of cargo to or from North Korea that may contain weapons of mass destruction or elements thereof.
The resolution also calls on all countries to freeze North Korea's funds connected with its non-conventional arms program.
The sanctions will be lifted as soon as Pyongyang agrees to give up its nuclear programs and return to the six-nation talks.
The six-nation talks - North Korea, South Korea, Russia, Japan, China and the United States - on the nuclear issue were launched in 2003, when the North withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but stalled last November over Pyongyang's demands that the U.S. lift sanctions imposed on it for its alleged involvement in counterfeiting and other illegal activities.
Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, said: "The sanctions aim to return North Korea to its nuclear-free status immediately, and to resume the six-nation talks without preliminary conditions."
He said the resolution contains "extraordinary measures," but it is designed to prevent further escalation of tensions.
U.S. President George W. Bush said the resolution showed "the world is united in our opposition to its [North Korea's] nuclear weapons plans."
The North Korean delegation called the resolution "gangster-like," and warned that Pyongyang will consider any further U.S. pressure on it a "declaration of war," before walking out of the Security Council meeting.
