United Nations, Mar 2 (IANS): The UN Security Council is scheduled to vote on Wednesday on a resolution on North Korea after the country conducted its fourth nuclear test, the Security Council president has said.

"We hope to adopt this resolution on Wednesday. And now the members of the council have been able to discuss, negotiate, and see how each of the country fits into this," Xinhua quoted president Ismael Gaspar Martins, also Angolan ambassador to the UN, as saying on Tuesday at a briefing on the Security Council's work plan in March, for which Angola assumes the Council's monthly rotating presidency.

The US circulated the draft resolution to the 15-nation council last week. The resolution aims to impose new sanctions on Pyongyang to curb the country's nuclear programme.

Diplomats said the vote is now planned for 10 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday.

Martins also noted the role played by China in inviting Pyongyang into a more active negotiation to get the country "gradually out of the situation", and he said "more is needed to talk, to negotiate, (and) to engage."

Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test in January. The previous three nuclear tests took place in 2006, 2009 and 2013, respectively.

Right after North Korea's first nuclear test, the security council adopted a resolution to impose sanctions on Pyongyang and set up a sanctions committee.

In response to the nuclear tests conducted by Pyongyang in 2009 and 2013, the Security Council has adopted another three resolutions to strengthen various sanctions against North Korea, which include an arms embargo, an embargo related to nuclear, ballistic missile, and a ban on the export of luxury goods.