Russia urges N. Korea not to launch rocket
Source: Agencies |
December 4, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
RUSSIA urged North Korea yesterday not to go ahead with a plan for its second rocket launch of 2012, with Moscow saying the launch would violate restrictions imposed by the UN Security Council.
North Korea's state news agency on Saturday announced the decision to launch another space satellite and reportedly told neighbors it would take a similar path to that planned for a failed rocket launch in April.
"We urgently appeal to the government (of North Korea) to reconsider the decision to launch a rocket," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Echoing its criticism of the April launch, Russia said North Korea had been warned not to ignore a UN Security Council resolution which "unambiguously prohibits (it) from launching rockets using ballistic technology."
In Washington, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland condemned the launch plan on Sunday as a threat to the Asia-Pacific region.
North Korea says its rockets are used to put satellites into orbit for peaceful purposes. Russia said in its statement that North Korea would be allowed only to exercise its right to peaceful activity in space if the UN-imposed restrictions were lifted.
The warnings come just weeks before South Korea's December 19 presidential election in which how to handle North Korea is a major campaign issue.
Countries trying to stop North Korea's arms program believe it is using rocket launches to perfect technology to build a missile arsenal capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US.
North Korea is under UN sanctions that ban trading in missile or nuclear technology that have driven its already dire economy deeper in trouble by cutting off what was once a lucrative source of hard cash.
Meanwhile, South Korea said yesterday it plans to reroute passenger flights over the Yellow Sea to avoid possible collisions with debris from a long-range rocket that North Korea plans to launch this month.
Officials said they will reroute six Korean Air flights. They also are considering whether to reroute or change the departure times of several Korean Air and Asiana Airlines flights to Manila.
North Korea reportedly said rocket debris would fall into the Yellow Sea and in waters east of the Philippines.
North Korea's state news agency on Saturday announced the decision to launch another space satellite and reportedly told neighbors it would take a similar path to that planned for a failed rocket launch in April.
"We urgently appeal to the government (of North Korea) to reconsider the decision to launch a rocket," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Echoing its criticism of the April launch, Russia said North Korea had been warned not to ignore a UN Security Council resolution which "unambiguously prohibits (it) from launching rockets using ballistic technology."
In Washington, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland condemned the launch plan on Sunday as a threat to the Asia-Pacific region.
North Korea says its rockets are used to put satellites into orbit for peaceful purposes. Russia said in its statement that North Korea would be allowed only to exercise its right to peaceful activity in space if the UN-imposed restrictions were lifted.
The warnings come just weeks before South Korea's December 19 presidential election in which how to handle North Korea is a major campaign issue.
Countries trying to stop North Korea's arms program believe it is using rocket launches to perfect technology to build a missile arsenal capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US.
North Korea is under UN sanctions that ban trading in missile or nuclear technology that have driven its already dire economy deeper in trouble by cutting off what was once a lucrative source of hard cash.
Meanwhile, South Korea said yesterday it plans to reroute passenger flights over the Yellow Sea to avoid possible collisions with debris from a long-range rocket that North Korea plans to launch this month.
Officials said they will reroute six Korean Air flights. They also are considering whether to reroute or change the departure times of several Korean Air and Asiana Airlines flights to Manila.
North Korea reportedly said rocket debris would fall into the Yellow Sea and in waters east of the Philippines.
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