The UN Security Council today unanimously condemned North Korea's long-range rocket launch, saying it contravened a UN ban, and demanded enforcement of existing sanctions against Pyongyang.
The statement, written by Washington and agreed in a meeting on Saturday of the five permanent council members and Japan, also ordered the UN Sanctions Committee to begin enforcing financial sanctions and an arms embargo laid down in resolution 1718. That agreement ended a week-long deadlock on the issue.
"The Security Council condemns the 5 April 2009 launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which is in contravention of Security Council resolution 1718 of 2006," the statement said.
The United States, Japan and South Korea have repeatedly said that North Korea on April 5th launched a long-range ballistic missile, not a satellite as it insists, in violation of Security Council resolution 1718 banning such launches.
Japan had been pushing for a council resolution that would declare Pyongyang in violation of that resolution. But China and Russia, which have vetoes on the council, opposed this. They were not convinced the rocket launch was a violation.
China insisted instead that the council adopt a "cautious and proportionate" presidential statement, which is a formal statement of the council's position by its president. Statements must be adopted unanimously but are generally seen as weaker than resolutions.
Some analysts have questioned whether official council statements are binding, but the US, British and French delegations have insisted that all decisions by the council are binding, regardless of how they are issued.
Resolution 1718 was passed after a nuclear test by Pyongyang in October 2006. It forbids North Korea from launching ballistic missiles or carrying out further nuclear tests. It also bans the import or export of arms and related goods by Pyongyang.
The statement also called for Pyongyang to return to stalled six-party talks aimed at ending its nuclear program and demanded that it refrain from any further launches. The talks group North and South Korea, China, Russia, Japan and the United States.
Analysts say that the passage of the council statement will be largely symbolic and is unlikely to result in a strict enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang.
Reuters