U.S. sends aircraft carrier to Yellow Sea and calls on China to condemn attack
Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - North Korea’s attack on the island of Yeonpyeong has provoked reactions at diplomatic and military levels. The U.S. president said he was "outraged" by the bombing that killed two South Korean soldiers and wounded 15 others and three civilians, as well as the destruction of many homes. South Korean television today reported that the bodies of two civilians were found on the island hit by North Korean artillery yesterday, raising to four the number of victims of the attack.
''South Korea - said Obama - is one of our most important allies. The United States is committed to their security, but we are not contemplating an American attack, however we have consulted with Seoul. This is a serious and continuing threat.'' The consultations led to immediate decisions. The American aircraft carrier USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered warship that carries 75 warplanes and a crew of 6,000 men, left the Japanese naval base of Yokosuka south of Tokyo, bound for the Yellow Sea where it will participate in joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea starting Sunday. "These exercises are of a defensive nature," read a statement issued by U.S. forces in South Korea
Obama and Lee Myung-bak agreed to "increase the level of preparedness" of the South Korean and U.S. forces in the area. Seoul has also announced that it will deploy new missile batteries and guns of greater range on the island yesterday bombed North Korean artillery, which is situated in a disputed area between the two Koreas.
The episode has also had huge consequences at a diplomatic level. The European delegation will bring its mission to North Korea to a close earlier than scheduled. A statement issued last night at the end of the meetings held with representatives of the Workers Party and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that there will be no “second thoughts”. "There's no reason for us to be here," said diplomatic sources. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Beijing, especially from the United States and Japan, to condemn the attack that threatens regional stability. "We have to ask China, which exerts a major influence on North Korea, to join our efforts to contain North Korea's actions," said Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan. Kan, and South Korean President, Lee Myung-bak, agreed in a telephone conversation on the need for Japan and South Korea to work closely with North Korea following the attack yesterday in the Yellow Sea.
.png)
12/02/2016 15:14
03/12/2010
24/08/2016 09:42
