Aso welcomes U.N. Security Council accord to adopt N. Korea statement+

TOKYO, April 13 Kyodo - Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on Monday welcomed a basic agreement by the U.N. Security Council to adopt a nonbinding presidential statement condemning North Korea's rocket launch.

''It's better (to adopt a presidential statement) if expressions had to be
weakened in order to make it a resolution,'' Aso told reporters. Japan had
insisted on seeking a binding resolution as a means of sending a strong message
on North Korea's April 5 rocket launch.
''It's important to accurately convey (North Korea) a comprehensive message
swiftly,'' the premier said.
The presidential statement, which the United Nations distributed to the media,
said the council ''condemns'' the launch and that the action is ''in
contravention of Security Council Resolution 1718.''
It said North Korea ''must comply fully with its obligation under Resolution
1718,'' adopted in October 2006 following its nuclear test. It also demands
that North Korea ''not conduct any further launch.''
==Kyodo