Beijing, "concerned" by Pyongyang's missile plans
Seoul (AsiaNews) - China has expressed "concern" at North Korea's planned long-range missile launch espresso this month. Yesterday Xinhua news agency wrote, "China expressed its concern about the satellite launch plan of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, saying it hopes relevant parties can act in a way that is more conducive to the stability of the Korean peninsula."
China's position was clarified during the day by Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang who said the DPRK has the right to peaceful uses of outer space, but that the right should be exercised within limitation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Russia has also expressed its opposition to the plan through a press release by the Foreign Ministry in which North Korea is urged not to launch.
On Saturday, Pyongyang said it would place in orbit between 10 and 22 December the latest version of the Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite from the Sohae Spatial centre. To do so, it will have to launch it on Unha-3 rocket.
Some suggest, that launch time was chosen because it coincides with South Korean presidential election on the 19th; others believe that the date was chosen because it will mark the first anniversary of the death on 17 December 2011 of Kim Jong-il, father of North Korea's current dictator, Kim Jong -un.
Beijing's concern shows how impatient China has grown with its ally. In the past, the international community viewed satellite launches as a North Korean violation of a UN ban on testing. In April, North Korea failed to place a satellite in orbit.
Various sources have told AsiaNews that Beijing no longer wants to underwrite "Pyongyang's madness".
On a technical issue, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported the presence of Iranian experts in North Korea since October. Tehran and Pyongyang have signed an agreement to co-operate in science and technology earlier this year.
Both the nuclear and missile programme of Iran's theocratic regime and North Korea's Stalinist government have been banned by the international community.
Western intelligence sources have reported that experts from Iran's Ministry of Defence were staying at a military facility 85km from North Korea's border with China.
.png)
12/02/2016 15:14
19/10/2021 09:42
04/10/2022 14:34
