Russia blocks statement about missile test at UN

NEW YORK - The UN Security Council failed to adopt a press statement condemning North Korea’s test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) because of Russia’s opposition, UN diplomats said Thursday.

When the Security Council met Wednesday to discuss the North’s ICBM test, the United States proposed a draft of a press statement strongly condemning the launch and pledging to take “significant measures” against the communist nation.

The draft was circulated among the 15 council members, but was not adopted as Russia stuck to its claim that the missile the North fired Tuesday was not an ICBM, but a medium-range missile, according to the diplomats.

During the Security Council meeting, Russia’s deputy UN ambassador, Vladimir Safronkov, claimed that data Russia’s Defense Ministry has collected shows that the North fired a mid-range missile, not an ICBM.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley struck back at the Russian envoy.

“Not only has the secretary-general said this was an ICBM and the U.S. has said this is an ICBM. North Korea has said this is an ICBM. So if you need any sort of intelligence to let you know that the rest of the world sees this as an ICBM, I’m happy to provide it,” she said. Yonhap