UNITED NATIONS: Japan on Wednesday sought to secure a U.N. Security Council warning to North Korea that there would be consequences if it conducted a nuclear test. But U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said members were divided on how to respond to Pyongyang's threat and that North Korea had its "protectors" on the 15-nation council.Japan's U.N. Ambassador Kenzo Oshima, this month's council president, sought backing from the 15 members for a statement that if North Korea went ahead the council would undertake further action, though it did not specify what that should be. "I think it is important for the international community, through the council, let North Korea understand that noncompliance would involve some consequences," Oshima said.
The Japanese draft expressed "deep concern" over North Korea's threat and said a nuclear test would "jeopardize peace, stability and security in the region and beyond." It said North Korea should abandon all nuclear weapons programs and resume six-party talks on the issue with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States.