U.N. Security Council statement on North Korea delayed

NEW YORK, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- The United Nations Security Council attempted to release a statement condemning North Korea's missile launches but the move ended in failure because of China's position on THAAD deployment in South Korea.

A U.N. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity told Yonhap on Tuesday China had requested a statement that expressed opposition to the deployment of the U.S. anti-missile defense system.

China had specifically wanted a statement opposing the placement of a "new ballistic missile base" on the Korean peninsula.

The United States refused to accept those terms, according to the U.N. source.

Both countries are permanent members of the Security Council.

The polarization at the Council may present a tough challenge for the permanent members, five in total, in adopting a new statement condemning North Korea's test-firing of ballistic missiles last Wednesday, one of which landed in Japanese territorial waters.

All press statements issued by the Security Council also require the consent of 15 members of the Council, including states elected for two-year terms.

The Council employed a "silence procedure" on Tuesday but Council members appealed for an alternative statement that led to an impasse during the process, Voice of America reported.

The silence procedure system allows measures to be adopted if no member of the Council has any objections.

The United States and Japan supported the use of a silence procedure to arrive at a solution.

The Council began meeting on Aug. 4, a day after North Korea's most recent provocations but the meeting was extended to Tuesday because of disagreements, largely between China and the United States.