Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The U.N. Security Council late Tuesday strongly condemned North Korea's latest ballistic missile launches, saying they contributed to Pyongyang's development of nuclear weapons capability.

The U.N Security council agreed to a statement hours after a closed-door emergency meeting called by the United States, Japan and South Korea in response to North Korea's firing of three missiles Monday that traveled about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and landed near Japan.

The statement said the launches were in "grave violation" of the country’s international obligations under various resolutions it has adopted.

In the statement, the Council members also expressed serious concern about North Korea latest missile launches after a series of earlier ones, held intermittently on different occasions between 15 April and 22 August – in flagrant disregard of repeated Council statements.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) shall refrain from further actions, including nuclear tests, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions and comply fully with its obligations under these resolutions," the statement stated.

The Council members said they further regretted that the North Korea is diverting resources to the pursuit of ballistic missiles while it citizens have great unmet needs.
The council also called upon all UN member states to redouble their efforts to implement fully the measures it had imposed on the DPRK, mainly the comprehensive measures contained in resolution 2270, which among other points, expands arms embargo and non-proliferation measures.

These measures also included small arms and light weapons, and enforces new cargo inspection and maritime procedures, including mandatory inspection on cargo destined to and originating from the DPRK. The council also called on UN member states to report as soon as possible on concrete measures they have taken in order to implement effectively the provisions of resolution 2270.

The statement stressed the importance of working to reduce tension in the Korean Peninsula and beyond, reiterating the importance of maintaining peace and stability there and in north-east Asia at large.

The council members also expressed their commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation.

North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006. The 15-member Security Council toughened the sanctions in March in response to North Korea's fourth nuclear test in January and the launch of a long-range rocket in February.