|
|
|||
|
|||
|
|
U.S. Chides North Korea on Missile Testing NewsMax.com Wires WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration said Tuesday that North Korea's firing of a series of missiles into the Sea of Japan was a provocation, but not an immediate threat to the United States. The administration quickly launched a diplomatic counter offensive to the missile shots - including one missile capable of reaching the Unites States, but made clear the response will be diplomatic and not military. "You are going to see a lot of diplomatic activity here in the next 24-48 hours," said National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. "We do consider it provocative behavior," he said. The missile firings, coming as Americans celebrated Independence Day and the launching of a space shuttle, grabbed worldwide attention. Hadley, briefing reporters at the White House, suggested it may have been an attempt by NorthKorea "to get attention perhaps because so much attention has been focused on the Iranians." Four of the five missiles - all fired over a four-hour period - were short range, but the other was a long-range missile - which failed after 35 seconds - that U.S. officials believe is capable of reaching the United States. The short-range missiles landed in the Sea of Japan. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, told reporters, "The North Koreans have again clearly isolated themselves." Story Continues Below
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice planned to confer, starting tonight, with her counterparts from China, Japan, South Korea and Russia, over the missile firings, according to the State Department. Hadley said that Rice would discuss taking the issue to the U.N. Security Council. The test firings included a long-range Taepodong-2, the communist nation's most advanced missile with a range of up to 9,320 miles, and five shorter-range missiles, said Hadley. Hadley said the missile firings started with a short-range scud at 2:33 p.m. EDT and ending with a Rodong medium-range missile at 6:31 p.m. EDT. The long-range Taepodong-2 was fired at 4:01 p.m. EDT. In Colorado, the North American Aerospace Defense Command was put on heightened alert, or "Bravo-Plus" status, slightly higher than a medium threat level, on Monday in anticipation of possible activities by North Korea, said Michael Kucharek, a NORAD spokesman in Colorado Springs. NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command is responsible for defending U.S. territory. President Bush has been in consultation with Rice, Hadley and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. Christopher Hill, assistant secretary of state, is set to head to the region on Wednesday, and Hadley is to meet with his South Korean counterpart, a meeting in Washington that already had been scheduled, Snow said. The test firings, which are seen as a provocation by the United States and other nations trying to get North Korea to submit to a verifiable nuclear program, occurred as Americans were celebrating Independence Day. The reclusive communist nation's action came after weeks of speculation that it was preparing to test its Taepodong 2 missile. The preparations prompted warnings from the United States and Japan, which had threatened possible economic sanctions in response.
© 2006 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Editor's note: Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Print Page 
Forward Page 
|
| All Rights Reserved © 2012 NewsMax.Com |