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Britain condemns North Korea's space satellite launch

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, April 5, IRNA -- Britain has denounced the recent satellite launch by North Korea, urging Pyongyang to 'cease immediately all further missile-related activity'.

North Korea on Sunday declared it has tested successfully a missile, saying a communication satellite reached orbit within nine minutes and has started to transmit revolutionary songs down to earth.

North Korea's state media described the launch as a 'proud achievement made out of our battle to upgrade our country's space scientific technology'.

David Miliband, the British foreign secretary, issued a statement following North Korea's satellite launch.

"I strongly condemn North Korea's action in conducting a satellite launch earlier today. This action contributes directly to their ballistic missile program, and therefore puts North Korea in breach of UNSCR 1718."

Miliband added that Pyongyang continues to 'pursue a hostile policy towards the rest of the world', saying it cannot hope to take its rightful place within the international community.
"I strongly urge North Korea to cease immediately all further missile-related activity and commit to engaging constructively with international partners, in particular through the Six Party Talks process."

North Korea has announced that the missile launch was for peaceful purposes and that the satellite has a technological mission in space. The launch took place on the second of the five days that Pyongyang had announced it would test the missile, after unfavorable weather conditions prevented a launch yesterday.

Initial reports said that the first booster rocket of the three-stage Taepodong-2 missile had dropped into the Sea of Japan 170 miles of the north Japanese coast. The only previous Taepodong-2 test, in July 2006 ended in failure after the missile blew apart 40 seconds after lift-off.

The US, Japan and South Korea have claimed that the test is a 'cover' for developing ballistic missile technology that could in theory deliver a nuclear warhead as far as Alaska or Hawaii.

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End News / IRNA / News Code 420284