The United States has circulated a draft resolution to the U.N. Security Council that would condemn North Korea for its December rocket launch and calls for tightening existing U.N. sanctions, diplomats said on Monday.

The draft was the result of a deal between the United States and China. China said earlier on Monday that the Security Council needed to pass a cautious resolution on North Korea, adding that this was the best way to ensure regional tensions did not escalate further. Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin voiced Moscow's backing for the draft text last week. He said the North Korean rocket launch is a violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution, so the council should react.