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1st LD-Writethru: UN chief says ready to visit Pyongyang at appropriate conditionsUNITED NATIONS, Dec 19, 2012 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday said that with "appropriate conditions created," he is ready to visit Pyongyang himself and "discuss with the leaders of the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) on all the issues to help facilitate, first of all, the dialogue, exchange and cooperation between the two parties of Korea." The secretary-general, who was the former foreign minister of South Korea, made the statement as he was answering a question at his year-end press conference here. "When time comes, when appropriate condition is created, I'm ready to visit myself Pyongyang to discuss with the leaders of the DPRK on all the issues to help facilitate, first of all, the dialogue, exchange and cooperation between the two parties of Korea," Ban said. "And I will do whatever I can." "I have been expressing my position (very clearly) when it comes to the peace and stability, and dialogue and exchange and cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the DPRK," he said, noting that the DPRK has a new leadership. Meanwhile, he also voiced his hope to see what he called "an appropriate response" of the UN Security Council to the December 12 rocket launch by the DPRK. "The provocative rocket launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has raised regional concerns and defied the international community," Ban said. "I look forward to the outcome of Security Council consultations on an appropriate response." On December 12, the Security Council condemned the rocket launch, saying that move is "a clear violation" of relevant council resolutions. The condemnation was contained in a statement read to the press by Mohammed Loulichki, the permanent representative of Morocco to the United Nations, who holds the rotating council presidency for December. The DPRK's official KCNA news agency confirmed that the country launched and orbited an earth observation satellite. According to the KCNA, a Unha-3 rocket carrying the second version of the Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite blasted off from the Sohae Space Center in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province, at 9:49 a.m. local time (0049 GMT) on December 12. The satellite, said the KCNA, entered its preset orbit 9 minutes and 27 seconds after the lift-off, and started going round the polar orbit. |