UN Security Council Adopts North Korea Resolution

The UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution condemning North Korea's missile testing and demanding it suspend it's missile program. The resolution is essentially toothless since it does not invoke article 7 of the UN charter.

The agreement was reached after a last-minute compromise between Japan, the United States and Britain, who wanted a tough statement, and Russia and China, who favored weaker language.

The deal culminated 10 days of difficult negotiations.

"The council has acted swiftly and robustly in response to the reckless and condemnable act of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," said Japan's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Chintaro Ito.

In the final negotiations, the council was divided on one issue: if the resolution should be adopted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which allows for military force to make sure the resolution is obeyed.

China had threatened to veto any resolution that mentioned Chapter 7 and in the final compromise it was dropped. The resolution adopted Saturday by a 15-0 vote states that the Security Council was "acting under its special responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security."

This won't exactly overawe the manic midget of Pyongyang. But at least they actually passed it.

UPDATE: Reuters Coverage.