On behalf of the German Government, I condemn North Korea’s latest missile test in the strongest possible terms.

North Korea has again unscrupulously flouted international law and threatened regional and international peace.

The international community needs to provide a shared, clear response with a view to persuading North Korea to halt its illegal and dangerous missile launches and nuclear tests and to comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions.

The United Nations Security Council shoulders particular responsibility. Germany is working for a tightening of sanctions against North Korea and for their consistent implementation. The European Union also made a clear commitment to this goal at the Foreign Affairs Council on 17 July.

'We must also insist that other key partners also implement the sanctions more efficiently. We need to close all the gaps.

Our priority is peaceful, stable co‑existence on a denuclearised Korean Peninsula. North Korea must reach out to the international community and return to the negotiating table without delay.