Europeans again condemn North Korea’s missile launches

European countries are again condemning North Korea’s 13 sets of ballistic missile launches since May, saying they violate U.N. Security Council resolutions and undermine international security.

The statement was issued Wednesday by the five European council members — Belgium, France, Germany, United Kingdom and Poland — and Estonia, which will join the council in January. It also condemns recent North Korean threats “to partners in the region and beyond.”

The Europeans issued the statement after closed Security Council consultations on North Korea’s latest missile launches on Nov. 28. The 15-member council didn’t issue any statement.

The Europeans reiterated their appeal to North Korea “to engage in good faith in meaningful negotiations with the United States aimed at denuclearization, and to take concrete steps to abandoning all weapons of mass destruction.”