Canada to 'respond appropriately' to North Korea rocket launch, says Stphane Dion

The UNSecurity Council held an emergency meeting Sunday strongly condemning a long-range rocketlaunch by North Korea and pledging toadopt a resolution with "significant" new sanctions.

The rocket was launched from North Korea's west coast only two hours after an eight-day launch window opened Sunday morning, its path tracked separately by the United States, Japan and South Korea. No damage from debris was reported.

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"North Korea continues to develop their nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, and it is the responsibility of our Alliance to maintain a strong defence against those threats," Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, U.S. Forces Korea commander, said in a statement.

North Korea said the rocket carried a satellite, but its neighbours and the U.S. denounced the launch as a missile test, conducted in defiance of UN resolutions and sanctions and just weeks after Pyongyang's purported hydrogen bomb test on Jan. 6.

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The U.S. Strategic Command said it had detected a missile entering space, and South Korea's military said the rocket had put an object into orbit.

North Korea said the launch of the satelliteKwangmyongsong-4, named after late leader KimJongIl, was a "complete success" and it was making a polar orbit of Earth every 94 minutes.The launch order was given by his son, leader KimJongUn, who is believed to be 33 years old.

"Canada strongly condemns yesterday's long-range missile launch by North Korea using sanctioned ballistic missile technology," said Minister of Foreign AffairsStphane Dion in a statement.

He adds the launch "constitutes a grave threat to international peace and security and to stability on the Korean Peninsula."

UN Security Council meets

Astatement approved by all 15 council members at an emergency meeting on Sunday underscored that launches using ballistic missile technology, "even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle" contribute to North Korea's development of systems to deliver nuclear weapons.

It stressed that using ballistic missile technology is a violation of four Security Council resolutions dating back to 2006.

The statement also expresses the council's commitment "to continue working toward a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation leading to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula."

Dion said "Canada strongly supports efforts underway in the UN Security Council to agree to significant measures to hold North Korea accountable for its actions."

"We will continue to work closely with international and regional partners to respond appropriately to North Korea's actions, in an effort to curb this unwarranted, irresponsible and dangerous behaviour," he added.

Italy's foreign minister said thelaunch puts at risk both international and regional security, as well as peace.

Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni noted in a statement that Sunday's launch comes just one month after North Korea conducted a nuclear test, making for the North's "latest provocation." He said North Korea has "returned to openly violating (UN) Security Council resolutions."

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North Korea's state news agency carried a still picture of a white rocket that closely resembled a previously launched rocket, lifting off. Another showed Kim surrounded by cheering military officials at what appeared to be a command centre.

North Korea's last long-range rocket launch, in 2012, put what it called a communications satellite into orbit, but no signal has ever been detected from it.

"If it can communicate with theKwangmyongsong-4, North Korea will learn about operating a satellite in space," said David Wright, co-director and senior scientist at the Global Security Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

"Even if not, it gained experience with launching and learned more about the reliability of its rocket systems."

The rocket lifted off at around 9:30 a.m. Seoul time on a southward trajectory, as planned. Japan's Fuji Television Network showed a streak of light heading into the sky, taken from a camera at China's border with North Korea.

North Korea had notified UN agencies that it planned to launch a rocket carrying an Earth observation satellite, triggering opposition from governments that see it as a long-range missile test.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the launch, at the request of the United States, Japan and South Korea, diplomats said.

Isolated North Korea had initially given a Feb. 8-25 time frame for the launch but on Saturday changed that to Feb. 7-14, apparently taking advantage of clear weather on Sunday.

North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration called the launch "an epochal event in developing the country's science, technology, economy and defence capability by legitimately exercising the right to use space for independent and peaceful purposes".

The launch and the Jan. 6 nuclear test are seen as efforts by the North's young leader to bolster his domestic legitimacy ahead of a ruling party congress in May, the first since 1980.

North Korea's embassy in Moscow said in a statement the country would continue to launch rockets carrying satellites, according to Russia'sInterfaxnews agency.

China worried about missile defence

China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, repeated what it says is "deep concern" about a missile defence system whose radar could penetrate its territory.

South Korea's military said it would make annual military exercises with U.S. forces "the most cutting-edge and the biggest" this year. North Korea objects to the drills as a prelude to war by a United States it says is bent on toppling the Pyongyang regime.

The United States has about 28,500 troops in South Korea.

U.S. Secretary of State JohnKerrysaid the United States would work with the UN Security Council on "significant measures" to hold North Korea to account for what he called a flagrant violation of UN resolutions on North Korea's use of ballistic missile technology.

South Korea's navy retrieved what it believes to be a fairing used to protect the satellite on its journey into a space, a sign that it is looking for parts of the discarded rocket for clues into the isolated North's rocket program, which it did following the previous launch.

China expressed regret over the launch and called on all sides to act cautiously and refrain from steps that might raise tension. China's Foreign Ministry said late on Sunday that it had summoned the North Korean ambassador to "make representations and make clear China's principled position".

China is North Korea's main ally, but it disapproves of its nuclear weapons program.

Russia, which has in recent years forged closer ties with North Korea, said the launch could not but provoke a "decisive protest", adding Pyongyang had once again demonstrated a disregard for norms of international law.

"We strongly recommend the leadership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea think about whether a policy of opposing the entire international community meets the interests of the country," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.

UN Secretary-General BanKi-moonstrongly condemned the launch and urged North Korea to "halt its provocative actions."

South Korean President ParkGeun-hyesaid it was an unforgivable act of provocation.

Australia condemned what it called North Korea's dangerous conduct while Japanese Prime MinisterShinzoAbe said the launch was "absolutely unacceptable", especially after the North's nuclear test last month.

North Korea has said that its fourth nuclear test was of a hydrogen bomb. The United States and other governments have expressed doubt over that claim.

North Korea is believed to be working on miniaturising a nuclear warhead to put on a missile, but many experts say it is some way from perfecting such technology.

It has shown off two versions of a ballistic missile resembling a type that could reach the U.S. West Coast, but there is no evidence the missiles have been tested.