North Korea Launch Poses Diplomatic Test For US

美国国防部门官员周四说，朝鲜已开始为其导弹发射计划所用的火箭装填燃料。由此，奥巴马总统与这个被其前任列为“邪恶轴心国”的国家的第一次直接对抗即将拉开序幕。Associated Press一艘朝鲜的巡逻船在中朝边境巡游平壤拟定的发射时间为周六和下周三之间。鉴于周四在朝鲜东北部偏远地区发射场地进行了装填燃料的行动，美国官员认为，发射有可能在周六进行。研究朝鲜导弹计划的专家称，平壤决定开始装填燃料显示发射在即，因为助推器一旦装填燃料就无法取消发射了，取消的话会非常危险。美国国防部官员说，他们估计，即将发射的是大浦洞-2号导弹。如果周六发射，则正逢世界主要领导人在法国斯特拉斯堡参加北大西洋公约组织(NATO)峰会。华盛顿曾表示，如果朝鲜继续推进发射工作，美国不打算拦截导弹，而是将诉诸联合国采取制裁行动。日本则表示计划部署导弹拦截装置。一些美国官员称，大浦洞-2号导弹的射程可以达到美国西海岸。对奥巴马试图更多地以外交手段对付好战国家的努力，这次预计的发射行动将是一次考验。目前来看，与布什政府时期两年前面临类似危机时的反应相比，新一届政府似乎更谨慎。奥巴马与韩国总统李明博(Lee Myung-bak)周四在二十国(G20)峰会间隙举行了会谈。白宫在会后发表的声明中呼吁，如果朝鲜进行发射，“国际社会共同予以回应”。曾在布什政府时期负责朝鲜事务的美国官员表示，上述措辞不如布什政府当年那么强硬。两年前，布什政府也曾遇到类似的朝鲜试射大浦洞-2号导弹的情况。当时布什称任何发射行动都是“不可接受的”，并威胁说，如果朝鲜继续进行试射，将彻底孤立平壤。Getty Images周四，一些韩国民众走上街头抗议朝鲜发射火箭。预计此次发射时间定于本周六至下周三之间。这将成为奥巴马就任总统以来美朝的首次对峙。这次，平壤坚持说火箭是用于发射通讯卫星，而美国国防部发言人莫瑞尔(Geoff Morrell)也表示，“它看起来的确像是他们形容的那样”，不像是要试射弹道导弹。莫瑞尔说，“目前而言，它从任何方面来看都不具有威胁性。”但一位陪同奥巴马近日行程的政府高级官员说，美国认为，只要是空间发射活动都违背了联合国针对平壤导弹计划的禁令。美国及其盟友在联合国表示，如果朝鲜发射火箭，他们将在安理会采取紧急行动。美国驻联合国大使赖斯(Susan Rice)说，发射火箭将“明显违反”针对朝鲜的制裁决议。该决议是2006年10月朝鲜对一处核设施进行测试后实行的。她说，朝鲜发射火箭将促使安理会举行紧急磋商并研究对策。一位日本官员表示，日本政府正在与“相关各国”举行磋商。Peter Spiegel相关阅读原声视频：日本军方准备应对朝鲜导弹试射 2009-03-31朝鲜宣布将发射新型火箭 2009-03-12朝鲜称将全力抵抗美国威胁 2009-03-11原声视频：朝鲜火箭发射在即 金正日公开露面 2009-02-27原声视频：朝鲜发射火箭意在试验导弹(中文字幕) 2009-02-26


North Korea started fueling a rocket for a planned missile launch Thursday, U.S. defense officials said, setting up President Barack Obama's first direct confrontation with a country his predecessor placed within 'the axis of evil.'Pyongyang scheduled the launch for between Saturday and Wednesday; Thursday's fueling at the launch site in the country's remote northeast region prompted U.S. officials to say the launch is likely to occur Saturday.Experts on North Korea's missile program said Pyongyang's decision to start fueling signals an imminent launch, because the volatile propellant is too dangerous to undo. U.S. defense officials say they believe the missile is a long-range Taepodong-2. A Saturday launch would take place as world leaders gather in Strasbourg, France, for a NATO summit.Washington has said if North Korea proceeds with the launch, the U.S. doesn't intend to shoot down the missile; rather, it would pursue United Nations sanctions. Japan says it plans to deploy missile interceptors.The expected launch of the Taepodong-2 rocket, which some American officials say has a range that extends to the U.S.'s West Coast, would test Mr. Obama's efforts to push a more diplomatic approach to belligerent regimes. The new administration so far appears to be responding more cautiously than President George W. Bush did during a similar crisis two years ago.Following a meeting Thursday between President Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, the White House issued a statement calling for a 'unified response by the international community' if North Korea proceeds with a launch.Officials who worked on North Korean issues during the Bush administration said the language was less firm than when Mr. Bush, before a similar North Korean test of a Taepodong-2 two years ago, called any launch 'unacceptable' and threatened to completely isolate Pyongyang if it proceeded with the test.This time, Pyongyang has insisted the rocket is being used to launch a communications satellite, and Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary said 'it looks to be what they describe it as,' rather than a ballistic missile test.'Right now, it does not look in any way to be a threat,' Mr. Morrell said. But a senior administration official traveling with Mr. Obama said the U.S. believes even a space shot would violate a U.N. ban on Pyongyang's missile program.At the U.N., the U.S. and its allies said they would take urgent action at the Security Council if the rocket were launched.Susan Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., said a launch would be a 'clear violation' of sanctions imposed on North Korea after it tested a nuclear device in Oct. 2006. 'It would require urgent discussion and consideration by the Security Council,' she said.A Japanese official said his government was having talks with 'interested nations.'Peter Spiegel