US and allies condemn N Korean launch

The United States and its allies rushed to condemn North Korea's failed rocket launch as a "provocative act" which threatened regional security, while Pyongyang's main ally China remained silent. The United States lashed out at North Korean "propaganda displays" and said Friday's launch breached its commitments and harmed Asian security. "North Korea is only further isolating itself by engaging in provocative acts, and is wasting its money on weapons and propaganda displays while the North Korean people go hungry," White House spokesman Jay Carney said. "Despite the failure of its attempted missile launch, North Korea's provocative action threatens regional security, violates international law and contravenes its own recent commitments," Carney said. Washington's key regional allies, Seoul and Tokyo, spoke in unison, blasting the launch as a contravention of United Nations resolutions. "North Korea's launch... is a clear breach of the UN resolution that prohibits any launch using ballistic missile technology. It is a provocative act threatening peace and security on the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia," South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan said. Tokyo, which had vowed to intercept any rocket that appeared to threaten its territory, agreed the launch was likely to have been a missile, not the satellite-carrying rocket Pyongyang had claimed it to be. "Even if it was a failure, it is a grave provocation to our country and other countries concerned and violates UN Security Council resolutions," Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said. North Korea's sole patron, China, did not immediately respond to the launch, with official media only citing foreign reporting on the launch. On Tuesday Beijing had called on all parties to "exercise restraint" and avoid an escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula. Foreign ministers from the Group of Eight powers swiftly condemned North Korea and said they would consider action at the UN Security Council. "We call on the DPRK to abstain from further launches using ballistic missile technology or other actions which aggravate the situation on the Korean Peninsula," the G8 said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "We are ready to consider, with others, taking measures responding to all activities of the DPRK that violate UN Security Council Resolutions, and calling for appropriate response by the United Nations Security Council," it said. The Group of Eight -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States -- did not spell out what measures they would seek at the world body. Separately British Foreign Secretary William Hague expressed "deep concern" over the launch, which he said was a clear violation of the UN ban, and called for a robust response from the international community. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle also quickly condemned the move, telling AFP it was a "violation of international obligations and will increase tensions on the Korean peninsula." The 15-member UN Security Council was to meet in emergency session on Friday "to decide its next step" following the action, a UN diplomat said. Australia was in lockstep with its Western allies, with Prime Minister Julia Gillard urging a "robust response" from the Security Council. "Regardless of its outcome, this launch was provocative and dangerous," she said in a statement. But Indonesia struck a cautious note, urging calm in the wake of the launch. "At this critical juncture, it is important that all project calm and exercise maximum restraint," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said. "More than ever, it is vital that diplomacy and dialogue be placed at the forefront in order to ensure peace and stability on the Korean peninsula," he said.