Brussels, 12/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 12 December, the European Union threatened fresh sanctions against Pyongyang, after North Korea fired another rocket. Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said that the EU will consider an appropriate response, in close consultation with key partners, in compliance with decisions made by the UN Security Council, which could include further sanctions.
On Wednesday, North Korea launched an apparently successful rocket for the first time. It brushed aside warnings from Washington and its allies, which denounced the firing of a ballistic missile and called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting to be held. The launch was “another step in a long-running attempt by the DPRK (North Korea) to acquire ballistic missile technology and is thus a clear violation of the DPRK's international obligations”, explained Ashton.
She urged North Korea to comply, without delay, fully and unconditionally with its obligations under relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and its commitments to denuclearisation dating back to 2005. UN resolutions 1718 and 1874 banned North Korea from engaging in any kind of nuclear or ballistic missile activity. (LC/transl.fl)