The United States has said that North Korea's latest missile launches
were the latest in a string of "provocative" acts, and that the world
was united in opposition to the Stalinist state.

Published: 1:02AM BST 03 Jul 2009

"The North Koreans said they were going to launch these missiles. I
don't I don't think that's surprising that they've launched these
missiles," Robert Gibbs, the White House spokesman. said.

"I take the North Koreans at their word that they're going to continue
their provocative actions."

North Korea fired a barrage of short-range missiles off its east coast
on Thursday, a possible prelude to the launch of a long-range missile
toward Hawaii over the US Independence Day holiday.

Firing a ballistic missile on the July Fourth holiday would be a
challenge to Washington, which has been rallying international support
for enforcement of UN sanctions imposed against Pyongyang following a
May 25 nuclear test. North Korea is banned from testing ballistic
missiles under UN resolutions.

Takeo Kawamura, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, said that a long-range
missile launch this weekend was possible. "We cannot rule out the
possibility," he said, citing Pyongyang's past behaviour.

Missile defences around Hawaii were beefed up following a mid-June
report in a Japanese newspaper that the North might fire a long-range
missile toward the islands in early July.

President Barack Obama said he was trying to "keep a door open" for
North Korea to return to international nuclear disarmament talks, but
the country must abandon its nuclear weapons programs before it can join
the world community.

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