UN Condemns North Korea Rocket Launch
By VOA News
13 April 2009
The United Nations Security Council has condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket that flew over Japan April 5.
All 15 member nations agreed Monday on a statement condemning the launch. It orders North Korea to comply with Security Council Resolution 1718, which bans such launches, and it threatens additional sanctions if Pyongyang does not comply. It also calls for the resumption of six-party disarmament talks.
The statement allows the Council to expand sanctions imposed earlier under the resolution. It calls for a Council committee monitoring sanctions against North Korea to report by April 24th on companies or technology that should be added to the current sanctions list.
In a written statement, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the agreement, saying he believes it sends a "unified message" concerning the launch.
U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said the United States is "very satisfied" with the language of the statement and views it as binding.
The Council's five permanent members -- the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia -- plus Japan reached an agreement on the statement's text during a rare Saturday session.
The Security Council had been deadlocked for almost a week about how to respond to the North Korean launch.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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