Germany slams North Korea missile tests 05/07/2006 00:00

5 July 2006

BERLIN - The German government on Wednesday slammed North Korea's missile tests as an "irresponsible provocation" and said the German envoy in Pyongyang would hand over a formal protest by all 25 European Union members to the North Korean government.

"This is a bad setback for nuclear talks on the Korean peninsula," said Martin Jaeger, the German Foreign Ministry's chief spokesman.

Jaeger said Germany's embassy in Pyongyang would hand over a formal protest to the North Korean government on behalf of the EU.

"The German government views this as an irresponsible provocation which it very much regrets," he said.

North Korea's launch of seven missiles into the Sea of Japan on Wednesday has triggered a storm of international reaction, including immediate sanctions from Japan and an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York.

The seventh missile was fired hours after North Korea early Wednesday test-fired at least six missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2, believed to be capable of reaching the US West Coast.

The long-range missile failed in mid-air within one minute of launch.

DPA

Subject: German news