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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Obama: NorKs must be held accountable for sinking. |
| 2010-06-27 |
| US President Barack Obama has said North Korea must be "held to account" for the sinking of a South Korean warship. He said he stood with South Korean leader Lee Myung-Bak, and condemned Pyongyang's "irresponsible behaviour". His comments came shortly after the G8 group of industrialised nations meeting in Toronto condemned the sinking of the corvette Cheonan earlier this year. North Korea has denied attacking the ship. An international investigation concluded that it was sunk by a North Korean torpedo. After meeting the South Korean leader on the sidelines of the summit, Mr Obama said: "There has to be consequences for such irresponsible behaviour." In their final summit statement, the G8 - the US, Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Japan - said: "We deplore the attack on 26 March that caused the sinking of the Republic of Korea's naval vessel, the Cheonan, resulting in tragic loss of 46 lives." Noting that an international investigation had found that, despite its denials, Pyongyang was to blame for the attack that sank the warship, the statement adds: "We condemn, in this context, the attack which led to the sinking of the Cheonan. "We demand that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea refrain from committing any attacks or threatening hostilities against the Republic of Korea." Reuters says the statement was not as strongly worded as some nations, including the United States, had hoped. It says Russia was said to have held out against stronger language. |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #3 Next time, they will issue the dreaded Strongly Worded Demarche! Russia is just barely holding back for now because the Mig 15's haven't been paid for yet. |
| Posted by: Muggsy Glink 2010-06-27 11:53 |
| #2 Mr Obama said: "There has to be consequences for such irresponsible behaviour." And if they do it again I'll hold my breath until I turn blue. |
| Posted by: Flapper Scourge of the Algonquins4926 2010-06-27 10:59 |
| #1 "consequences" and "accountable" - I don't think he even knows what those words mean |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-06-27 09:40 |