The German Government condemns the testing of two more short-range missiles by North Korea, which has now conducted its tenth test of such weapons systems this year. The United Nations Security Council has obliged North Korea to cease its ballistic missiles programme. Furthermore, the launch of the missiles runs counter to the willingness expressed yesterday by North Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Choe to resume negotiations with the United States.

The German Government urges North Korea to finally put the announcements of its willingness to hold talks into practice and to refrain from any further provocation. Negotiations can only be successful if North Korea conducts them seriously and in good faith. The goal remains the complete, verifiable and irreversible end of North Korea’s ballistic missiles programmes and its programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction.