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UNITED NATIONS (AP)
The U.N. Security Council on Saturday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning North Korea's recent missile tests and demanding that the reclusive communist nation suspend its ballistic missile program.
The agreement culminated 10 days of difficult negotiations and was reached after a last-minute compromise between Japan, the United States and Britain -- who wanted a tough statement -- and Russia and China -- which favored weaker language.
"The council has acted swiftly and robustly in response to the reckless and condemnable act of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," Japanese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Shintaro Ito said.
U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told CNN that "we expect full, unconditional and immediate compliance by North Korea. We condemn the North Korean missile launches, which is entirely appropriate given the provocative nature of those launches."
In the final negotiations, the council was divided on one issue: if the resolution should be adopted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which allows for the use of military force to make sure the resolution is obeyed.
The U.N. Security Council on Saturday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning North Korea's recent missile tests and demanding that the reclusive communist nation suspend its ballistic missile program.
The agreement culminated 10 days of difficult negotiations and was reached after a last-minute compromise between Japan, the United States and Britain -- who wanted a tough statement -- and Russia and China -- which favored weaker language.
"The council has acted swiftly and robustly in response to the reckless and condemnable act of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," Japanese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Shintaro Ito said.
U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told CNN that "we expect full, unconditional and immediate compliance by North Korea. We condemn the North Korean missile launches, which is entirely appropriate given the provocative nature of those launches."
In the final negotiations, the council was divided on one issue: if the resolution should be adopted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which allows for the use of military force to make sure the resolution is obeyed.
China had threatened to veto any resolution that mentioned Chapter 7, and in the final compromise it was dropped. The resolution adopted Saturday by a 15-0 vote states that the Security Council was "acting under its special responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security."
It not only demands that North Korea "suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile program" but demands that Pyongyang re-establish a moratorium on missile launching.
It not only demands that North Korea "suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile program" but demands that Pyongyang re-establish a moratorium on missile launching.
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