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U.N. holds emergency meet on North Korean missiles

Beijing expresses concern but says reaction should be "constructive''

Russia voices concern

Vladimir Radyuhin

Russia voiced grave concern over North Korea's missile tests.

"Russia expresses serious concern over these actions, which run counter to the expectations of the international community and its efforts to strengthen peace and stability in the region and could complicate the settlement of the nuclear problem on the Korean peninsula," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The North Korean ambassador in Moscow was summoned to the Foreign Ministry over the incident.

Two of the missiles reportedly splashed down in the sea a few dozen kilometres from Russia's Far Eastern city of Nakhodka.

"The launch has threatened shipping in the Pacific Ocean and violated common practices of advanced missile launch warning," the Russian statement said.

Earlier, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry described the missile tests as a "provocation" which "seriously aggravates the situation around the Korean nuclear programme."

The spokesman said Russia would "take a most active part" in the U.N. Security Council meeting called by Japan to discuss the Korean tests, but a senior Russian legislator said Moscow would not support sanctions against Pyongyang.

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