UNITED NATIONS - KEY powers in the nuclear standoff with North Korea are committed to broadening sanctions against Pyongyang after its latest nuclear test, a Western diplomat said on Wednesday.

VIDEO N.Korea faces UN sanctions (1:37)

'There is a clear commitment by the P5 + 2 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Japan and South Korea) to go for sanctions,' said the diplomat on condition of anonymity.

He stressed that even Russia and China accepted the need for new sanctions after Monday's North Korean nuclear test in violation of UN resolutions. But the diplomat cautioned that the discussions on a broad range of additional punitive measures were still in the 'early stage'.

He noted that proposals included extending the list of entities targeted for travel bans or financial sanctions, a broader arms embargo, tougher inspections of cargo, a freeze on North Korean assets abroad and denial of access to the international banking and financial services.

'There will be some kind of reporting mechanism in the resolution,' the diplomat made clear. 'We want all states to report on what they are doing, have done in next 30 days.' 'What we will agree on at end of the day, I don't know,' he stated, adding Japan and the United States were in the process of drafting a text that is to be submitted to a meeting of the P5 + 2 on Thursday.

He said that after consultations with respective capitals, the full 15-member council was expected to meet early next week to consider the draft.

Meanwhile US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice told reporters: 'We're in a process where we're gathering the different points of views of those engaged and this is going to be a process that's going to take some time.'

'It's serious business, it's complicated and we need to be in touch with our capitals repeatedly and this is gonna be one that we work to get right rather than to pop out prematurely,' she added.

'I will say that we are proceeding deliberately in a spirit of cooperation, goodwill, common aims, shared goals and in a very business-like fashion,' Ms Rice noted.

Earlier on Wednesday, Japan's UN ambassador Yoshio Takasu, whose country feels threatened by Pyongyang's nuclear saber-rattling, would not commit himself to a date as to when the 15-member Security Council might vote on the draft resolution. -- AFP