China blocks U.N. report on North

China blocked the release Tuesday of a report by U.N. experts accusing North Korea of violating U.N. sanctions that ban the export and import of ballistic missile and nuclear-related items as well as conventional arms and luxury goods.

China’s U.N. Ambassador Li Baodong told reporters after a closed-door meeting of the Security Council to discuss implementation of two rounds of sanctions against the North that Beijing is “still studying that report.’’

The report by the seven independent experts appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to monitor implementation of sanctions was sent to the 15 Security Council members for their approval by Tuesday morning. Diplomats said China was the only country that objected to its immediate release.

Britain’s deputy U.N. ambassador Philip Parham said there was “pretty broad support’’ for the report in the council but China had problems with it. The panel’s first report, in May 2010, was also held up by China, which has close ties to North Korea. It was finally released in November after Beijing dropped its objections.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a faxed statement that “China is earnest and responsible in implementing Security Council resolutions.’’ She said the panel’s report “does not represent the Security Council’s position’’ nor the position of the council committee that monitors sanctions against North Korea. The report said North Korea remains “actively engaged’’ in exporting ballistic missiles, components and technology.

AP