U.N. council discusses response to North Korea launch

By Louis Charbonneau

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Diplomats on the U.N. Security Council met on Sunday to respond to North Korea's rocket launch, with Washington calling for "strong" action and China and Russia appealing for calm.

The 15-nation council began emergency closed-door consultations shortly after 3 p.m. EDT to discuss North Korea's firing of a long-range rocket on Sunday.

The United States, Japan and South Korea say the launch violated council resolutions banning the firing of ballistic missiles by Pyongyang, which has tested a nuclear device and is in stalled six-party talks about ending its nuclear program.

"The United States' view is this is serious, it's a violation and it merits an appropriately strong United Nations response," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told the ABC program "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."

"The U.S. is working very closely with Japan and we will be in consultation with our partners inside the council, trying to get the most appropriate and strong response we can possibly get."

North Korea, a reclusive and impoverished communist state, said the rocket carried a satellite that was now in orbit, transmitting revolutionary songs as it circled the Earth.

But both the U.S. military and South Korea said it had failed to enter orbit.

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