US in last-minute push to stop North Korea's missile launch (Roundup)

Apr 3, 2009, 18:30 GMT

Washington - The United States is making last-minute efforts to convince North Korea to stop a missile or satellite launch that could come as early as Saturday, according to the US envoy to the region, who warned the North Koreans should expect consequences if the launch goes ahead as planned.

Ambassador Stephen Bosworth, the State Department's special representative for North Korea, said the United States was pressing its case against the Stalinist regime through a variety of diplomatic avenues.

'We have continued to urge as we urge now of the DPRK not to launch this,' Bosworth told reporters in Washington. 'Whether it's a satellite launch or missile launch in our judgement makes no difference. It is a provocative act.'

Earlier Friday, in Strasbourg, France, US President Barack Obama warned North Korea not to go ahead with its 'provocative' plans.

'They should stop the launch,' Obama said.

North Korea has said it intends to launch a commercial satellite into space some time between Saturday and Wednesday. Washington and Seoul suspect Pyongyang is actually preparing to test a Taepodong-2 missile that could theoretically reach Alaska and carry a nuclear warhead. Its first test of such a missile in 2006 failed.

Bosworth said the international community had an 'obligation to demonstrate that there are consequences' to any launch, which would be in violation of past UN Security Council resolutions.

He refused to go into details on what those consequences could be, but said the US would work with its partners on the Security Council. An emergency meeting of the 15-member council could be called soon after the launch to consider options.

'We will continue to consult with our partners on what would be an appropriate response,' Bosworth said.

Bosworth acknowledged the launch could prompt a 'cooling off period' on the six-party talks that are aimed at getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. Those talks include the US, Russia, Japan, China and the two Koreas.

He said the US also remained open to having one-on-one talks with the North Korean regime and was committed to the long-term goal of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula.

'We will continue to have bilateral contact,' Bosworth said, adding he was prepared to travel to Pyongyang in the future. 'We are prepared to open that channel at any point.'

Bosworth, who travelled to Asia last month but was rejected access to Pyongyang, said he was still hopeful the North Koreans would change their mind on the launch.

'Realistic or not realistic, it's still my hope,' Bosworth said.