Asia-Pacific

N.Korea launched 10 missiles

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-07-05 17:07

North Korea launched a total of 10 missiles, the head of Russia's General Staff was quoted as saying on Wednesday, but he could not confirm how many of them were intercontinental weapons.

"Our control systems can confirm that the rockets were launched," General Yuri Baluevsky told reporters in the town of Chita, near the Mongolian border, Interfax news agency reported.

"Ten rockets were launched. According to one set of data, they were rockets of different classes. According to another set of data, they were all intercontinental. I can only say what class they were after receiving the technical data."

Russia shares a short border with North Korea, which launched its rockets despite calls from countries around the world that it should not increase tensions over its nuclear weapons programme.

Earlier on Wednesday, Russia's foreign ministry joined the chorus of condemnation of the communist state's missile launches, saying the step was provocative and would harm attempts to build trust in the region.