UNITED NATIONS, April 2 (Reuters) - Japan will call an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss a possible response if North Korea launches a long-range rocket in the coming days, Japan's U.N. envoy said on Thursday.
Ambassador Yukio Takasu, speaking after a closed door council meeting on other issues, said he brought the issue up before the council. He said an emergency session on North Korea could take place this weekend if the rocket is fired.
Pyongyang has said it will send a satellite into orbit between Saturday and next Wednesday, but the United States, South Korea and Japan say the launch is a disguised test of the long-range Taepodong-2 missile, which is designed to carry a warhead to U.S. territory.
Takasu told reporters intensive diplomatic efforts were under way to persuade Pyongyang not to launch the rocket, which he said would represent a "threat to the security of Japan" and would further increase regional and international tensions.
"If this effort does not result in a positive way, Japan will request an urgent meeting of the Security Council to discuss this issue and discuss a response," he said. "We must be clear and firm. This could take place this coming weekend."
Takasu gave no details on what response his country would like the 15-nation Security Council to make, but said it was possible Japan would press for a legally binding resolution.
He declined to say whether such a resolution would call for new sanctions or better enforcement of existing sanctions against North Korea.
Council diplomats say that both Russia and China, which are permanent veto-wielding members of the Security Council, have made clear that they would not support a resolution imposing new sanctions against North Korea. (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN02164624
Ambassador Yukio Takasu, speaking after a closed door council meeting on other issues, said he brought the issue up before the council. He said an emergency session on North Korea could take place this weekend if the rocket is fired.
Pyongyang has said it will send a satellite into orbit between Saturday and next Wednesday, but the United States, South Korea and Japan say the launch is a disguised test of the long-range Taepodong-2 missile, which is designed to carry a warhead to U.S. territory.
Takasu told reporters intensive diplomatic efforts were under way to persuade Pyongyang not to launch the rocket, which he said would represent a "threat to the security of Japan" and would further increase regional and international tensions.
"If this effort does not result in a positive way, Japan will request an urgent meeting of the Security Council to discuss this issue and discuss a response," he said. "We must be clear and firm. This could take place this coming weekend."
Takasu gave no details on what response his country would like the 15-nation Security Council to make, but said it was possible Japan would press for a legally binding resolution.
He declined to say whether such a resolution would call for new sanctions or better enforcement of existing sanctions against North Korea.
Council diplomats say that both Russia and China, which are permanent veto-wielding members of the Security Council, have made clear that they would not support a resolution imposing new sanctions against North Korea. (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN02164624