UNITED NATIONS, April 12 (RIA Novosti) - Six world
powers have agreed a draft UN Security Council statement,
condemning North Korea's rocket launch, diplomats said on
Sunday.
Five permanent council members and Japan agreed on
Saturday to the draft statement seen as a compromise between
the supporters of tough measures against North Korea and
restrained response to the communist regime's rocket launch.
According to the draft, the UN Security Council condemns
the rocket launch by North Korea on April 5, 2009, which is in
contravention of Security Council Resolution 1718.
The UN Security Council could vote on the draft statement
as early as Monday.
Pyongyang launched on April 5 a multistage rocket that it
said was carrying a communications satellite, defying pressure
from the United States, Japan, South Korea and other countries,
which suspect the launch was a cover for the test of a
Taepodong-2 long-range missile.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that
Moscow was concerned by Pyongyang's recent rocket launch, but
believed that imposing sanctions against North Korea would be
counterproductive.
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