U.N. Votes to Condemn N. Korea, page 1

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Saturday condemning North Korea's recent missile tests and demanding that the reclusive communist nation suspend its ballistic missile program.

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The agreement was reached after a last-minute compromise between Japan, the United States and Britain, who wanted a tough statement, and Russia and China, who favored weaker language.

The deal culminated 10 days of difficult negotiations.

"The council has acted swiftly and robustly in response to the reckless and condemnable act of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," said Japan's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Chintaro Ito.

In the final negotiations, the council was divided on one issue: if the resolution should be adopted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which allows for military force to make sure the resolution is obeyed.

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Language in the U.N.'s resolution specifically calls for the North Korean regime to end it's missile testing and stop the construction of ICBM's.

As important as this is, we need to stop and think about how this will play in North Korea. The Leadership in that country has already groom the people of that isolated nation to see this as an "us versus them" conflict. This reolution does make sense for the members of the United Nations, but it might backfire due to the eccentricities of the North Korean point of view.

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