Statement by Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Issuance of a Statement by the President of the United Nations Security Council regarding the Missile Launch by North Korea

April 14, 2009
Japanese

Japan appreciates that, on Monday, April 13, in New York (Tuesday, April 14, Japan time), the United Nations Security Council issued a statement of its President regarding the missile launch by North Korea on Sunday, April 5.
Despite the appeals of concerned countries including Japan for self-restraint, North Korea went ahead with its planned missile launch. Under the situation in which neighboring countries including Japan continue to be exposed to nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, Japan can only regard the latest missile launch as a grave, provocative act against its security, which is entirely unacceptable. Japan therefore requested the convening of a Security Council meeting immediately after the missile launch and has made diplomatic efforts at all levels, including a series of telephone conversations between foreign ministers, in collaboration with the countries concerned, particularly the United States and the Republic of Korea, with a view to swiftly issuing a strong and unified message on the part of the international community. On April 11 in Pattaya, Thailand, Prime Minister Aso and I made strong approaches on this matter to our counterparts from China and the Republic of Korea.
The Security Council, through the unified message of a Presidential Statement, has condemned the missile launch by North Korea, which was in contravention of Security Council resolution 1718, reiterated that North Korea must comply fully with the resolution, and stipulated specific procedures to ensure the implementation of the resolution. This is an exceptionally strongly worded statement, of high significance for the security not only of Japan, which was exposed to the most serious danger posed by the missile launch, but also of the northeast Asia region as a whole. Japan urges North Korea to take this Presidential Statement seriously and comply fully with resolution 1718.
At the same time, the Presidential Statement reaffirmed the Security Council’s continued support for the Six-Party Talks and called for their early resumption, while urging intensified efforts on the full implementation of the Joint Statement of September 19, 2005, and other documents. Japan will continue to make active efforts through the framework of the Six-Party Talks for the comprehensive resolution of outstanding issues of concern regarding North Korea including the abduction, nuclear and missile issues.

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