Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke to his Japanese counterpart Hirofumi Nakasone on the phone this morning (5 June). Their discussion focused on the situation in North Korea.

After the discussion, Federal Minister Steinmeier made the following statement:

“The unrestrained pursuit of nuclear weapons by the North Korean Government poses a serious threat to the entire international community. I expect that the UN Security Council will send a clear, unanimous message to Pyongyang. I strongly urge the North Korean Government to refrain from further nuclear or missile tests and to return immediately to the negotiating table within the framework of the six-party talks.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs Nakasone updated his German counterpart on the debate in the UN Security Council. Issuing a further resolution in response to the latest North Korean nuclear test is currently being discussed in New York.

The Foreign Ministers agreed to continue their close coordination on this issue.

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