Japan calls for 'united and clear' UN message to North Korea

UNITED NATIONS — Japan is calling on the U.N. Security Council to send a "united and clear" message to North Korea condemning its firing of three ballistic missiles that traveled about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and landed near Japan.

Japan's U.N. Ambassador Koro Bessho made the appeal Tuesday as he headed into closed emergency consultations called by the U.S. and Japan in response to Monday's launches.

China's U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi, apparently annoyed that the missile firings by its ally were timed to coincide with the Group of 20 economic summit in China, told reporters: "We'll see what the council will decide."

Warning of the risk of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, France's U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre told reporters that "weakness is not an option" and urged "quick and firm" council action.