Obama rebukes North Korea over test
2013-02-12 16:36
Washington - US President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that North Korea's
"provocative" nuclear test did not make it more secure and called for
"swift" and "credible" international action in response.
In a separate statement, the US intelligence community
said Pyongyang had "probably conducted an underground nuclear
explosion" of "approximately several kilotons" at its Punggye-ri
nuclear test site.
"Analysis of the event continues," the office
of the Director of National Intelligence said.
Obama vowed that Washington would remain vigilant in the
face of the underground detonation by the Stalinist state and steadfast in its
defence commitments to its allies in Asia.
"These provocations do not make North Korea more
secure," Obama said in a written statement.
"Far from achieving its stated goal of becoming a
strong and prosperous nation, North Korea has instead increasingly isolated and
impoverished its people through its ill-advised pursuit of weapons of mass
destruction and their means of delivery."
Obama complained that the test was a "highly
provocative act" that -following the North's 12 December ballistic missile
launch - undermined regional stability and violated UN Security Council
resolutions.
"The danger posed by North Korea's threatening
activities warrants further swift and credible action by the international
community," Obama said, ahead of an emergency meeting of the UN Security
Council called for later on Tuesday.
"The United States will also continue to take steps
necessary to defend ourselves and our allies," Obama said.
- SAPA
