Paet: North Korean regime must end provocative behaviour

Photo: SCANPIX

Foreign Minister Urmas Paet emphasised that the North Korean regime must put a stop to its provocative behaviour and threatening. “North Korea has gone too far in its aggressive rhetoric and provocative behaviour. They have created a situation in which the slightest incident could lead to a real conflict, which could in turn have widespread consequences,” said Paet.

Paet stated that the international community, including Estonia, has received messages of North Korea’s recent steps with increasing alarm. “North Korea must without delay start fulfilling the requirements of UN Security Council resolution 2094, unanimously approved on 7 March, according to which North Korea must cease all further nuclear and missile tests and provocations,” said Foreign Minister Paet. The resolution also significantly strengthened the sanctions set by earlier Security Council decisions.

In the second half of this week North Korea positioned two mid-range missiles on the east coast of the Korean peninsula, from which they could reach Japan and the U.S.-governed island of Guam. On 4 April North Korea announced its decision to restart the Yongbyon nuclear plant, the closing of which North Korea had agreed to as part of the six-party talks that took place in 2007. On 30 March the country announced it was entering a state of war.