North Korea officially announced Wednesday that it had conducted test launches of ballistic missiles and claimed it was the country's sovereign right. The communist nation launched the missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2, despite a moratorium on missile tests.
Russia's ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said, "We are concerned over the effect the missile launches could have on regional stability, and that they do not bring closer a resolution to North Korea's nuclear problem."
He also said that at the moment it would be enough to adopt a non-binding statement of the UN Security Council chairman, rather than a resolution. China's Ambassador to the UN Wang Guangya stated a similar position.
Japan's Ambassador to the UN Kenzo Oshima, who had initiated the emergency session, said UN Security Council members had agreed to discuss a draft resolution at an expert level to condemn the missile tests later on Wednesday.
He said North Korea's decision to abandon the seven-year moratorium on missile launches laid down in a communique following the six-nation negotiations in 2005 was regrettable.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton said that none of the officials at the emergency session had supported North Korea's move, and added that the draft resolution would hopefully be coordinated in the next two or three days.
