TheUnited NationsSecurity Council holds an emergency meeting on the missile launch of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), at the UN headquarters in New York Aug. 29, 2017. The UN Security Council on Tuesday strongly condemned the latest missile launch by the DPRK, demanding it immediately cease such actions. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday strongly condemned the latest missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), demanding it immediately cease such actions.
In a statement, the council stressed that those DPRK actions are not just a threat to the region, but to all UN member states.
"The Security Council expresses its grave concern that the DPRK is, by conducting such a launch over Japan as well as its recent actions and public statements, deliberately undermining regional peace and stability and has caused grave security concerns around the world," said the statement, which was released after closed-door consultations by council members.
The Security Council demanded the DPRK not proceed with any further launches using ballistic missile technology and comply with relevant Security Council resolutions, it added.
Japan, South Korea and the United States called for an emergency meeting of the Security Council after the DPRK's Monday launch.
The Security Council demanded the DPRK abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs "in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner" and immediately cease related activities.
The council further demanded the DPRK not conduct any future nuclear tests or any further provocation and abandon any other existing weapons of mass destruction.
The council called on all UN member states to "strictly, fully and expeditiously implement all relevant Security Council resolutions concerning the DPRK." It reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia at large.
The council expressed its commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation and welcomed efforts to facilitate a peaceful and comprehensive solution through dialogue.
After the readout of the statement, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said all 15 Security Council members "have spoken in unison."
"The world is united against North Korea. There is no doubt about that," she told the council.
"We are all demanding North Korea stop any future missile launches; we are all demanding North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons," she said.
"It is time for the North Korean regime to recognize the danger they are putting themselves in. The United States will not allow their lawlessness to continue and the rest of the world is with us," she warned.0 Japanese envoy Koro Bessho said the statement sent a clear message to the DPRK that the international community will not accept "its reckless behavior." He urged the DPRK to respond to the call of the international community and cease missile launches. Japan will work closely with the international community to reach a comprehensive solution to the problems related to the DPRK, he said.
Chinese envoy Liu Jieyi told the same meeting that China is opposed to the DPRK's launches using ballistic missile technology. He called on Pyongyang to comply with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and urged all parties concerned to exercise restraint and to avoid "mutually provocative actions" that might exacerbate regional tension.
The Security Council resolution adopted on Aug. 5 provides for further sanctions against the DPRK, but also calls for the resumption of the six-party talks and pledges to seek a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution and underscores the de-escalation efforts by relevant parties, he said.
China opposes any chaos or war on the peninsula, said the Chinese envoy, noting that military deployment is not helpful. The deployment of the THAAD missile shield by the United States in South Korea severely jeopardizes regional strategic balance, undermining the strategic security interests of all regional countries, including China, he said.
"It will further escalate tension on the peninsula, making the issue more complicated and intractable," Liu noted.
He asked for a halt to the deployment and the dismantling of related facilities.
"China is always committed to the goal of de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the maintenance of peace and stability on the peninsula and the settlement of the issue through dialogue and consultations," said the Chinese envoy.
He urged relevant countries to work together to bring the issue back to the right track of peaceful dialogue.
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