US aims to begin new North Korea sanctions monitoring regime by next month

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said on Friday that she hoped to find a new way to ensure sanctions enforcement on North Korea by next month after Russia and China thwarted the renewal of monitoring activities.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Washington and its allies were looking at multiple options both inside and outside the UN to replace a panel of experts that has over the past 15 years monitored the implementation of sanctions aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
Russia rejected the annual renewal of the panel last month, while China abstained from the vote.
Asked whether the United States and its allies could establish an alternative by the time the current panel’s mandate expires at the end of April, Thomas-Greenfield said:
“That would be the optimal thing to start next month. I don’t know that we will move it that fast. But that’s my hope,” she told reporters in Tokyo.