China and Russia introduced a UN Security Council resolution today that would urge North Korea to suspend its nuclear program but avoid mandatory weapons-related sanctions as sought by Japan.
Japan, backed by the United States, Britain and France welcomed the new draft and said it moved closer to their position but fell short.
No vote has been scheduled on either draft after China threatened to veto the Japanese document, especially while a high-level Beijing delegation was negotiating in Pyongang over North Korea's seven missile launches on July 5th.
China's delegation has told North Koreans what they should do to ensure diplomacy succeeded, China's UN Ambassador Wang Guangya said.
"So far we have not received any feedback from the North Korea leadership," Mr Wang told reporters.
Japan's UN Ambassador Kenzo Oshima welcomed the Chinese-Russian initiative but said "a quick glance shows that there are very serious gaps on very important issues."
"But I doubt very much whether it will be a text that will meet the support of the co-sponsors," Mr Oshima said. "I think it will be difficult for us to accept that as it is."
The Chinese-Russia text "strongly deplores" the multiple missile launches by North Korea and urges, rather than demands, that Pyongang to re-establish a moratorium.
It also softens the sanctions provision by calling on UN members to "exercise vigilance," rather than insisting that they prevent the supply of materials, goods and technologies that could contribute to North Korea's missile program.
It also excludes a determination in the Japanese draft that North Korea's actions threatened international peace and security under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter.
This provision makes a resolution mandatory and can be followed legally by military action, but only if another resolution is adopted.
Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said the Russian-Chinese draft resolution went "a long way" toward meeting concerns of those who back the Japanese resolution.
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized Japan as saying "that all countries have to vote as Japan wants," Interfax news agency reported.