Russia, China block US bid to halt North Korea fuel deliveries
Tehran (KNA) - Russia and China have blocked a US initiative at the United Nations aimed at halting deliveries of refined oil to North Korea as Washington attempts to keep up economic pressure on Pyongyang, a policy that is blamed for a halt in the diplomatic process between the two sides.
Diplomatic sources said Tuesday that Moscow and Beijing put a hold on the initiative, which had urged a UN sanctions committee to rule that the North had exceeded its annual cap of 500,000 barrels of fuel imports, and that all countries should stop fuel deliveries to the country, AFP reported.
Those limits are part of a UN sanctions resolution adopted last year, under which crude oil supplies to North Korea were limited to 4 million barrels per year, with a ceiling of 500,000 barrels put on refined oil products.
Washington's request was backed by 25 UN members, including its close allies Japan, France and Germany, according to the report.
Russia and China, however, said they needed more time to examine the allegations against, the sources said.
Source: PressTV