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U.S. 'would not be surprised' by N. Korea missile launch
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] The White House said Friday it "would not be surprised" if  North Korean carries out another missile test, after reports that Pyongyang had moved two mid-range rockets to its eastern coast."We've obviously seen the reports that North Korea may be making preparations to launch a missile, and we're monitoring this situation closely," White House front man Jay Carney told news hounds. "We would not be surprised to see them take such an action. We have seen them launch missiles in the past ... And it would fit their current pattern of bellicose, unhelpful and unconstructive rhetoric and actions," he said. "We urge them to stop with the provocations and to focus instead on meeting their international obligations and feeding their own people. They are only making themselves more and more isolated from the rest of the world." The Pentagon declined to confirm reports about the missiles from South Korea's Yonhap news agency, but warned North Korea that "further provocative action would be regrettable." "Missile tests outside their international obligations would be a provocative act. They need to follow international norms and abide by their commitments," Pentagon front man George Little told news hounds. Several U.N. Security Council resolutions require North Korea to abstain from all nuclear and ballistic missile activities. Yonhap reported that two intermediate Musudan missiles had been transported by train earlier in the week and loaded on vehicles equipped with launch pads. The Musudan has never been tested, but is believed to have a range of around 3,000 kilometers (1,860 miles), which could theoretically be pushed to 4,000 if they were to be given a light payload. Posted by: Fred 2013-04-06 |
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