Calm urged after N Korea missiles

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8134462.stm

Russia, China and the US have all called for calm after North Korea test-fired a series of missiles.

Seven Scud-type ballistic missiles with a range of about 500km (312 miles) were fired in an apparent act of defiance against the US, on 4 July.

Russia and China urged Pyongyang to return to talks, while a US official urged it not to aggravate tensions.

North Korea is banned from all ballistic missile-related activities under UN sanctions.

The sanctions were strengthened after the communist nation carried out a second underground nuclear test in May.

North Korea has launched a number of missiles since the test. On Thursday it test-fired four short-range missiles.

'Not helpful'

Saturday's launches came from a base on its east coast. Three were fired early in the day, a fourth around noon local time and three more in the afternoon, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The missiles fell into the Sea of Japan, known in South Korea as the East Sea.

South Korean officials said some of the missiles could have been medium-range Nodongs - which have the range to strike Japan - but that their flight distances had been deliberately shortened, Yonhap news agency said.

Both South Korea and Japan called the launches an "act of provocation".

The US state department called them "not helpful" and said North Korea should " refrain from actions that aggravate tensions and focus on denuclearisation talks".

Russia and China called on all parties to show restraint and avoid actions which could further destabilise the situation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Ties between North Korea and the outside world have grown extremely tense since it walked away from talks aimed at ending its nuclear programme.

Some analysts suggest Pyongyang's bellicosity could be linked to internal issues, amid questions over the health of leader Kim Jong-il after his apparent stroke last year.

Reports suggest he has named his youngest son as his successor - and some believe the nuclear and missiles tests could be a show of strength aimed at securing internal support for his plans.