India says NKorean test has destabilising potential

New Delhi, Apr 6 (PTI) Voicing concern over North
Korea's long-range rocket test, India Monday said it has the
potential of having a "destabilising effect" in the "volatile
region" and hoped that any response to the development would
be "restrained and proportionate".

External Affairs Ministry said any decision on the
development should be taken by the UN which is currently
considering the matter.

"We have seen reports that variously describe the
missile launch by the DPR Korea as a satellite launch or a
ballistic missile test...... We are concerned at the possible
destabilising effect of these events in a volatile region,"
ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said while commenting on
Sunday's development.

A defiant North Korea fired a long-range rocket,
drawing strong rebuke from its neighbours and the US which
believed the launch was a cover for testing Pyongyang's
missile technology.

Prakash said, "While it is for the Security Council to
come to a conclusion on the nature of the event and its
relationship to its earlier resolutions, we hope that
responses by all concerned will be restrained and
proportionate."

The comments by the External Affairs Ministry spokesman
assume significance as the US has termed North Korea's
action as "provocative" and warned that it would "certainly"
take "appropriate steps to let the country know that it can't
threaten the safety and security of other countries with
impunity and acts like these."

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee Sunday
said that while India is for total disarmament, UN watchdog
IAEA was the appropriate body to sit on a judgement on whether
North Korea had fulfilled its treaty obligations.