Washington: The UN Security Council has condemned the recent rocket launch by North Korea, saying it is in violation of 2006 resolution that barred the reclusive communist nation from conducting missile-related activities.
The unanimous condemnation, in the form of a Presidential negotiations, came on Monday afternoon after days of intense negotiations among the members of the Security Council, in particular the veto-wielding permanent members; with Russia and China on one side and Britain, France and the US on the other side.
Reading out a presidential statement, Ambassador Claude Heller of Mexico, which holds the Council's rotating presidency for the month of April, said the UNSC deems the April 5 launch to be in contravention of resolution 1718.
Passed in 2006, the resolution demanded that North Korea "not conduct any further nuclear test or launch of a ballistic missile," following its claims to have conducted a nuclear test in October 2006.
Heller said the Security Council members expressed their desire for a "peaceful and diplomatic solution to the situation" and welcomed Member States' efforts to reach a "comprehensive solution through dialogue."
The Presidential statement also said it will adjust sanctions, imposed by the 2006 resolution, by the end of this month.
Calling for an early resumption of the six-party talks, the 15-member UN body urged all the participants to intensify their efforts on the full implementation of the 19 September 2005 joint statement issued by the participants in those talks -- China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation and the US -- and their subsequent consensus documents, with a view to achieving verifiable peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in North-East Asia.