U.N. Security Council fails to adopt statement condemning N.K. missile launch due to Russia's opposition

NEW YORK, July 6 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. Security Council failed to adopt a press statement condemning North Korea's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile because of Russia's opposition, U.N. diplomats said Thursday.

When the Security Council met Wednesday to discuss the North's ICBM test, the U.S. proposed a draft press statement strongly condemning the launch and pledging to take "significant measures" against the communist nation.

The draft was circulated among the 15 council members, but was not adopted as Russia stuck to its claim that the missile the North fired Tuesday was not an ICBM, but a medium-range missile, according to the diplomats.

During the Security Council meeting, Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador, Vladimir Safronkov, claimed that data Russia's Defense Ministry has collected shows that the North fired a mid-range missile, not an ICBM.

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley struck back at the Russian envoy.

"Not only has the secretary-general said this was an ICBM and the U.S. has said this is an ICBM. North Korea has said this is an ICBM. So if you need any sort of intelligence to let you know that the rest of the world sees this as an ICBM, I'm happy to provide it," she said.

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