UNSC members meet for further discussion of Russia, China’s proposal to lift N. Korea sanctions

UN Security Council members are due to meet informally on Monday for a second round of negotiations on a proposal by Russia and China to lift sanctions on North Korea, Reuters reports.

China and Russia are convening negotiations one day before the deadline set by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for the US to show flexibility in stalled talks over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.

A top White House official said on Sunday that Washington would be very disappointed if North Korea tested a long-range or nuclear missile.

Pyongyang has been under UN sanctions since 2006. Russia and China proposed a draft UN Security Council resolution earlier this month that would lift sanctions which were imposed in 2016 and 2017 to cut off reported funding for Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs. The US, France and Britain said now is not the time to consider lifting sanctions.