MOSCOW. Dec 12 (Interfax) - Moscow is calling on Pyongyang to refrain from taking new steps against UN Security Council resolutions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement in commenting on a long-range rocket launch performed by North Korea.
"We are urging the DPRK not to take new steps against UN Security Council resolutions. At the same time, we expect other parties to also refrain from steps capable of heating the atmosphere even more and putting new obstacles in the way of the resumption of the six-party negotiating process, which, we are sure, remains an optimal format for settling the nuclear and other problems of the Korean Peninsula," the Foreign Ministry said.
It was reported earlier that Pyongyang launched a ballistic missile carrying a satellite early on Wednesday, so violating relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The UN Security Council will gather for an extraordinary session to address the issue later on Wednesday, an unnamed diplomatic source told journalists.
The UN Security Council meeting initiated by Japan and the U.S. is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. local time (8:00 p.m. Moscow time).
Russia will support the idea that the North Korean rocket launch should be considered by the UN Security Council, a source with Russia's executive bodies told Interfax.
"Russia and other states have repeatedly warned Pyongyang against violating UN Security Council resolutions banning the use of ballistic technologies. Considering that North Korea ignored the international community's opinion, its actions will be censured, including by the UN Security Council," he said.
The U.S. Department of State had warned North Korea earlier that, if it went ahead with its planned rocket launch, the UN Security Council could toughen its sanctions against it.