UN, April 21. /TASS/. The UN Security Council has adopted the amended version of the condemnation of North Korea’s latest missile test, which includes a Russia-backed call for a dialogue with Pyongyang.
The statement was adopted on Thursday after a one-day delay due to the need to reach consensus on the text. In the statement, the council’s members "strongly condemn" the April 15 missile test and "express their utmost concern" over North Korea’s "highly destabilizing behavior and flagrant and provocative defiance of the Security Council."
Security Council resolutions bar North Korea from any activities related to development of nuclear weapons and delivery vehicles. Pyongyang refuses to recognize this documents, saying that the country has the right to enhance its defense capabilities in light of Washington’s hostile rhetoric.
"The members of the Security Council demanded that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea shall immediately cease further actions in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions and comply fully with its obligations under these resolutions," the statement reads.
The council’s member states also reiterate "the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in North-East Asia at large," express their commitment to "a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation" and welcome efforts "to facilitate and peaceful and comprehensive solution through dialogue."
The Security Council "would continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures including sanctions, in line with the Council’s previously expressed determination."
The draft statement was submitted by the United States on April 19, but its adoption was delayed due to objections from the Russian delegation. Russia’s UN embassy earlier said that the US delegation tried to deviate from the standard wording and exclude the call for a peaceful settlement through dialogue. "When we demanded to restore this "agreed wording", which is of great political importance, and expressed our readiness to continue working with the authors of the draft, the US delegation scaled down the work on the document without explanation of reasons and said that Russia had blocked a statement for the press," the Russian mission said.
On Sunday, North Korea attempted to launch another missile, but failed, according to the data of the US air forces - the missile exploded almost rights after the launch. The attempt of the missile test was made amid the celebration of the anniversary of birth of North Korea’s founding leader Kim Il-sung. A large-scale military parade was held in Pyongyang. According to analysts, during that parade a submarine launched ballistic missile was shown for the first time.