NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Wednesday condemned North Korea’s controversial long-range rocket launch, saying the “provocative act exacerbates tensions in the region and risks further destabilising the Korean Peninsula.” The full NATO statement:
Following the concerns expressed by the North Atlantic Council on December 5 after North Korean authorities declared their intent to launch a rocket using ballistic missile technology, I strongly condemn North Korea’s launch today (12 December).
This launch is in direct violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874. This provocative act exacerbates tensions in the region and risks further destabilising the Korean Peninsula.
NATO continues to call on the North Korean authorities to fulfill their obligations under international law, to comply fully with the will of the international community as expressed by the United Nations Security Council and the moratorium on missile launches.
