Security Council

6106^th Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS LAUNCH BY DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA,

 

AGREES TO ADJUST TRAVEL BAN, ASSETS FREEZE, ARMS EMBARGO IMPOSED IN 2006

In Statement, Calls for Urgent Resumption of Six Party Talks,

Expresses Desire for ‘Peaceful and Diplomatic Solution’ Through Dialogue

The Security Council this afternoon condemned the launch carried out on 5 April by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in contravention of Security Council resolution 1718 (2006), which barred the East Asian country from conducting missile-related activities.

In a statement read by its President for the month of April, Claude Heller (Mexico), the Security Council demanded that Democratic People’s Republic of Korea conduct no further such launches, and reiterated the country’s obligation to comply fully with resolution 1718, which was passed shortly after its nuclear-weapon test in October 2006.

By that earlier text, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was forbidden to launch ballistic missiles or carry out further nuclear tests.  The resolution also prevented a range of goods from entering or leaving the country and imposed an asset freeze and travel ban on persons related to its nuclear-weapon programme.

With the current statement, Council members agreed to adjust the measures imposed by paragraph 8 of resolution 1718 through the designation of “entities and goods” to face sanctions, directing the relevant Sanctions Committee to undertake its tasks to that effect, and report on the matter by 24 April.  Should the Committee fail to do so, “the Council will complete action to adjust the measures by 30 April 2009”.

The Council called for an early resumption of the six-party talks and urged all the participants to intensify their efforts on the full implementation of the 19 September 2005 Joint Statement issued by the participants in those talks -- China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation and United States -- and their subsequent consensus documents, with a view to achieving verifiable peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in North-East Asia.

The meeting was called to order at 3:07 p.m. and adjourned at 3:12 p.m.

The full text of the presidential statement, to be issued as document S/PRST/2009/7, reads as follows:

The Security Council bears in mind the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in North-East Asia as a whole.  The Security Council condemns the 5 April 2009 (local time) launch by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which is in contravention of Security Council resolution 1718 (2006).

The Security Council reiterates that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea must comply fully with its obligations under Security Council resolution 1718 (2006).

The Security Council demands that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea not conduct any further launch.

The Security Council also calls upon all Member States to comply fully with their obligations under resolution 1718 (2006).

The Security Council agrees to adjust the measures imposed by paragraph 8 of resolution 1718 (2006) through the designation of entities and goods, and directs the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) to undertake its tasks to this effect and to report to the Security Council by 24 April 2009, and further agrees that, if the Committee has not acted, then the Security Council will complete action to adjust the measures by 30 April 2009.

The Security Council supports the six-party talks, calls for their early resumption and urges all the participants to intensify their efforts on the full implementation of the 19 September 2005 Joint Statement issued by China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation and United States, and their subsequent consensus documents, with a view to achieving the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner and to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in North-East Asia.

The Security Council expresses its desire for a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the situation and welcomes efforts by Council members as well as other Member States to facilitate a peaceful and comprehensive solution through dialogue.

The Security Council will remain actively seized of the matter.

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For information media • not an official record