The German Government condemns in the strongest possible terms the today’s illegal launch of ballistic missiles by North Korea. With this and numerous other missile tests this year in contravention of international law, the country has continued in an unacceptable manner to disregard the terms imposed by the UN Security Council and to provoke the international community. The international community will not tolerate this provocation. The UN Security Council must respond appropriately to these repeated breaches of international law. In any case, North Korea’s irresponsible actions are driving the country ever deeper into self-imposed international isolation. The German Government urges North Korea to see reason and comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions without delay. To this end it must immediately refrain from all further ballistic missile launches and nuclear tests and end the related programmes.