Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I issued a statement on 12 February condemning in the strongest possible terms the decision by the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea, the DPRK, to test a nuclear explosive device on 12 February 2013. This action directly threatens peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and was a clear violation of North Korea’s international obligations under United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718, 1874 and 2087.

It has been the position of successive Irish Governments that nuclear weapons have never and will never guarantee the security of any nation. The very existence of these weapons threatens security.

Following this test, the international community has been united in its strong disapproval of this action, and there has been strong condemnation to this effect by the EU, the US and China. The UN Security Council has also strongly condemned the test. The members of the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2087 on 22 January which expressed the council’s determination to take significant action in the event of a further test. In line with this commitment, following this latest nuclear test, the members of the Security Council have begun work on appropriate measures in a Security Council resolution.

The EU Foreign Affairs Council of 18 February agreed, unanimously, that additional restrictive measures be taken against North Korea. Together with my EU colleagues, I agreed to further strengthen sanctions against North Korea by adopting EU autonomous measures which are in addition to those contained in UN Security Council Resolution 2087. These further measures in particular concern trade in conventional weapons involving North Korea and in relation to the export to North Korea of certain key components for ballistic usage.

At the Foreign Affairs Council, Ireland together with our EU partners further called upon the DPRK to re-engage constructively with the international community, in particular with the members of the six party talks, and to work towards lasting peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. The European Union stands ready to continue to work with its partners in support of these objectives.

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