Petulant Norks nuke test angers world

CNN:

North Korea delivered on its threat Monday, conducting a second nuclear test that angered governments around the globe.

The North had threatened to do so unless the U.N. Security Council apologized for imposing sanctions on it following a rocket test on April 5.

The secretive communist state also apparently test-fired a short-range missile on Monday, the White House said.

Japan called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. One is expected Monday, said Vitaly Churkin, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations.

The White House -- which less than three weeks ago announced a new diplomatic effort to restart stalled talks with North Korea about its nuclear program -- said the test was in "blatant defiance" of the Security Council. Watch how the test may have taken world by surprise »

"North Korea is directly and recklessly challenging the international community," the White House said. "The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants action by the international community."

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana condemned the test.

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There was no immediate information on the yield of the weapon used in Monday's test. The Russian Defense Ministry said the explosion was between 10 to 20 kilotons. The U.S. State Department said it was analyzing the data.

The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency would say only that the latest test was safely conducted "on a new higher level in terms of its explosive power and technology of its control."

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"They think this will enhance and embolden their diplomatic capability to deal with the other countries," said Han Sung Joo, former South Korean ambassador to the United States. "Of course, it may be working the other way. But from their point of view, this is their lifeline, which they want to maintain." Watch South Korea's reaction to the nuclear test »

North Korea's latest move could clear the way for the United States and the other members of the six-party talks, minus North Korea, to impose new punitive measures against a country desperate for food and energy assistance.

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The story does not give the reaction of the Chinese government or the Russians. The Chinese are still the key in squeezing North Korea. They are the ones who have urged less sanctions in the past. They are also the ones that got the Norks in the talks to start with by cutting off supplies of coal. It is within the Chinese's power to make sanctions effective. Whether they will after this is still in doubt.

The NY Times reports that China "resolutely opposes" the test. Russia did say the test violated UN resolutions. The key is still what kind of sanctions they would permit the UN to impose. The ones they have permitted so far have obviously been ineffective.

The BBC says Russia and China have requested a return to six party talks. I guess that is because it was so "effective" in securing their objectives before? You would think they would at least make it conditional on strong sanctions being imposed in order to coerce the Norks into the talks that are likely to accomplish little.