Philippine president urges DPRK to forego satellite launches
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E-mail Xinhua, March 29, 2012
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday renewed the Philippines' call for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to forego its satellite launches in April which he warned would only cause more tension not just in the Korean Peninsula but the Asian region as well.
The president, during the inauguration of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK)-Korean War Memorial Hall in Taguig City, said the Philippines expresses its "grave concerns over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's plans to launch what it claims as an earth observation satellite, but is widely believed to be a long range ballistic missile between April 12 and 16".
"The use of ballistic missile technology in any launch violates UN Security Council Resolutions, and it presents risks to all concerned. It increases tensions, particularly in the period of uncertainty leading up to the launch -- where no one is sure of the trajectory of the missile," he said.
"Similarly, debris from the launch may potentially land in our territory. This is a needless provocation not only in the Korean peninsula, but in our entire region. It is with our respective peoples in mind that we urge the Democratic People's Republic of Korea not to proceed with its planned launch," he added.
