US, UN call on North Korea to return to initial unconditional dialogue

Nine UN Security Council members condemned North Korea's January 30 launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile Friday, saying it was "a significant escalation" in Pyongyang's recent violations of council resolutions and was intended to further destabilize the region, Report informs, citing foreign media.

"We condemn this unlawful action in the strongest terms," US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters after a 90-minute closed-door meeting of the 15-nation council. She spoke on behalf of and flanked by her council counterparts from Albania, Brazil, Britain, France, Ireland, Japan, Norway, and the United Arab Emirates.

The launch, which took place on Sunday local time, was North Korea's longest-range missile test in more than four years.

"It also marks a new and troubling record — the nine ballistic missiles launched in January is the largest number of launches the DPRK has conducted in a single month in the history of its WMD and ballistic missile programs," Thomas-Greenfield said.

North Korea is forbidden to conduct such launches under the provisions of several Security Council resolutions.

The council last met on January 20 to discuss the launch activity without a united public stance.