PYONGYANG, July 15. /TASS/. Pyongyang is not going to "tolerate the reckless sanctions blackmail of the United States and other hostile forces," North Korea’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement published by the Rodong Sinmun official newspaper on Saturday.
The diplomat noted that "the US tries to impose on the UN Security Council an unprecedentedly harsh resolution on sanctions fabricated by Washington in response to the DPRK’s July 4 test of the Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile.
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"It would be a fatal mistake to think that as a nuclear power the DPRK, which possesses an ICBM, will tolerate the reckless sanctions blackmail of the US and other hostile forces," according to the report.
The diplomat warned that Pyongyang would take "tit-for-tat measures if the Security Council approves a new resolution on sanctions" in response to North Korea’s missile program. He called on the US administration to "show discretion, taking into account the strategic position of the DPRK which has entered an unprecedentedly high level."
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said last week that Washington would draft a United Nations Security Council resolution to propose new sanctions on North Korea. According to her, the global community could cut off major sources of hard currency to Pyongyang, increase air and maritime restrictions, and impose sanctions on senior officials linked to the missile and nuclear program. The United Kingdom and France also spoke out in favor of new sanctions.
Moscow warned against introducing new restrictions. Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vladimir Safronkov said at a meeting of the UN Security Council on July 5 that sanctions were not the answer as they led to an impasse in an effort aimed at resolving the crisis through political means.