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World leaders condemn test, urge action

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-26 07:44

WASHINGTON: World leaders condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for carrying out nuclear and missile tests and US President Barack Obama said Pyongyang's actions were a reckless challenge warranting action from the international community.

As nations prepared for emergency UN Security Council talks yesterday, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana branded the test a "flagrant violation" of a Council resolution which required "a firm response".

China, Russia, France and Britain - which with the United States are the permanent Council members - expressed alarm at Pyongyang's test.

"By acting in blatant defiance of the United Nations Security Council, North Korea (DPRK) is directly and recklessly challenging the international community," Obama said. "The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants action by the international community."

The uniform condemnation from around the globe underscored the isolation of Pyongyang.

Nations for years have tried a mix of huge aid pledges and tough economic sanctions to persuade the DPRK to give up its nuclear weapons program.

Pyongyang, however, is so isolated that there are few punishment options open and neither Obama nor Solana made specific recommendations. France spoke of strengthening sanctions.

A file satellite image shows P'unggye-yok Gilju county, the site of a suspected North Korea nuclear test in 2006. [Agencies]

"North Korea's behavior increases tensions and undermines stability in Northeast Asia. Such provocations will only serve to deepen North Korea's isolation," Obama said. "It will not find international acceptance unless it abandons its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "deeply worried" by the development and Japan said it would seek a new resolution condemning the test at the Security Council meeting.

The DPRK had for weeks threatened to conduct the test in response to tighter international sanctions for its April launch of a rocket. Pyongyang also said it would no longer be a party to six-country talks on giving up its nuclear weapons program.

Special coverage: DPRK Conducts Nuclear Test Related readings:  DPRK threatens nuclear, missile tests  US not to accept DPRK as nuclear-weapons state  Russia calls for calmness over Korean Peninsula nuclear issue  Japan, ROK vows to help resume nuclear talks  DPRK to restart nuclear reactor

Russia said the violation of the Security Council resolution was a serious blow to efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons and that Six-Party Talks on the DPRK were the only solution to the crisis.

"We consider it a provocation and we strongly condemn them," European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown described the nuclear and missile tests as "erroneous, misguided and a danger to the world", saying the international community would treat the DPRK as a partner only if it behaved responsibly.

France said it would be consulting its Security Council partners "on the consequences to draw from this serious act by the DPRK, and in particular on strengthening sanctions".

US gets advance notice

The DPRK gave the United States less than an hour's notice of a nuclear test it carried out yesterday, a US official said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the DPRK did not make any demands when it provided the warning of the test.

"We got less than an hour's warning on this thing," said the US official, saying the message was conveyed through the "New York channel," a reference to contacts between DPRK diplomats at the United Nations and US officials.

"They made no demands," the US official said.

Reuters