Press Release
Missiles are Acceptable Everywhere in the World – Except North Korea
North Korea, which does not possess a single nuclear warhead, test fires another missile.
NZ Foreign Affairs Minister Brownlee promptly fires off an indignant press release stating that North Korean missile
tests are unacceptable.
While this may sound good in Washington, it does not help contribute to peace and security in NE Asia.
In recent months India has tested Agni-2 medium-range and Agni-3 intermediate-range ballistic missiles, as well as an
Agni-5 ICBM, Pakistan has fired an Ababeel medium-range ballistic missile, capable of delivering multiple warheads,
South Korea has launched a Hyunmoo-2 cruise missile and is developing a new generation Hyunmoo-3. Both China and Russia
have tested ICBMs. The United States which maintains a stock of some 7,000 nuclear warheads has fired Minuteman 3 and
Trident missiles.
No comment from our Foreign Affairs Minister.
If Minister Brownlee genuinely wishes to contribute to peace and security in NE Asia he should equally promptly release
a statement endorsing Presidents Xi and Putin’s proposal that the United States and South Korea refrain from carrying
out large-scale joint war game exercises, and that North Korea reciprocate with a moratorium on testing nuclear devices
thus defusing the situation and opening the way for peace talks.
Peter Wilson
Secretary
NZ DPRK Society