New York (UN). February 5. INTERFAX - At the UN Security Council meeting on missile launches of the DPRK, held on the initiative of the United States, some of its members described Pyongyang's launch of a ballistic missile last Sunday as a "significant escalation" that "aims to further destabilize the region."
After the meeting, the US Permanent Representative to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, read to journalists the text of the joint statement prepared by the American side, which reads: "We call on all members of the Council to unanimously condemn these dangerous and illegal acts. The price of the council's continued silence is too high. This will give the DPRK the courage to continue challenging the international community."
It also calls on North Korea to "stop destabilizing actions and return to dialogue."
The statement was supported by the United States, Albania, Brazil, France, Ireland, Norway, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, as well as Japan, which is not currently a member of the Security Council.
At the same time, China's permanent representative Zhang Jun said that "the key to solving the DPRK missile problem is in the hands of the United States."
He said that if Washington is really striving for this, it should show "more sincerity and flexibility."
"More attractive and more practical, more flexible approaches, policies and actions should be proposed to solve the problems of North Korea," the Chinese diplomat told reporters.
Zhang Jun stressed that the Security Council should make statements only if it is "useful for de-escalating tensions."
Last Sunday, North Korea launched an unidentified projectile towards the Sea of Japan. According to military experts, the projectile was a ballistic missile. According to the South Korean military, the launch was made from the northern province of Chagan, the rocket flew about 800 km at a maximum altitude of 2 thousand km.
In turn, Pyongyang confirmed on Monday that it had conducted a test launch of a medium-range ballistic missile.
This launch was the seventh by the DPRK in 2022. After that, a senior US administration official told reporters on condition of anonymity that the United States had called on North Korea to start direct talks without preconditions on its nuclear and missile programs.
