Lebanese Ministry of Information
Express
6 September, 2017
In a chilling warning Emmanuel Macron’s defence minister Florence Parly said Europe could be within range of Kim Jong-un’s nuclear missiles.
Pyongyang sparked worldwide fear on Sunday with its hydrogen bomb test as dictator Kim Jong-un seeks to build up his nuclear arsenal.
Tensions have escalated on the Korean Peninsula in recent weeks with the US and North Korea embroiled in an increasingly heated war of words.
But it appears the US may not be the only target in Kim’s sights.
In a speech to the French military, Miss Parly said: “The scenario of an escalation towards a major conflict can not be discarded.
“Europe risks being within range of (North Korean President) Kim Jong Un’s missiles sooner than expected.”
It comes as a North Korean diplomat said that his country is ready to send “more gift packages” to the US as world powers struggled for a response to Pyongyang’s latest nuclear weapons test.
Han Tae Song, ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, confirmed North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), had successfully conducted its sixth and largest nuclear bomb test on Sunday.
And in a warning to Washington, he said: “The recent self-defence measures by my country, DPRK, are a gift package addressed to none other than the US.
“The US will receive more ‘gift packages’ from my country as long as its relies on reckless provocations and futile attempts to put pressure on the DPRK.”
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Monday accused Kim Jong Un of “begging for war” with a series of nuclear bomb and missile tests.
She urged the 15-member Security Council to impose the “strongest possible” sanctions to deter him and shut down his trading partners.
US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May are now pressuring China to act over the North Korea crisis.
Mrs May and US president Donald Trump have urged China to use all its influence to ensure North Korea ends its “illegal acts” as the crisis over the rogue state’s latest nuclear test continued to dominate international affairs.
Mrs May and Mr Trump discussed the situation by telephone and agreed to put more economic pressure on the Kim Jong-un regime.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister and the president agreed on the key role which China has to play, and that it was important they used all the leverage they had to ensure North Korea stopped conducting these illegal acts so that we could ensure the security and safety of nations in the region.
“Mrs May said Britain would work with the US and international partners to continue to exert economic pressure on North Korea through further measures including sanctions.
“The Prime Minister noted the importance of the UN Security Council continuing to present a strong and unified international voice by reaching swift agreement on new measures.
“The Prime Minister said she would also work with EU leaders on further measures the EU could take to pressure the North Korean regime.”
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also told MPs China needed to try and end the “grave crisis”.
