WASHINGTON, March 29 (Bernama) -- The United States has suspended food aid to North Korea because Pyongyang has broken its promise to refrain from missile launches, a Pentagon official said Wednesday.
"We have been forced to suspend our activities to provide nutritional assistance to North Korea," said Peter Lavoy, acting assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific security affairs.
The United States believes that North Korea's announcement of a satellite launch reflects their lack of desire to follow through on their international commitments, Lavoy said before the House Armed Services Committee.
Under a deal reached last month, North Korea had agreed to a partial nuclear freeze and a missile test moratorium in return for US food aid.
"Our suspicions about North Korea using its celebrations this year to enhance its missile programme were confirmed when North Korea announced on March 16 that it plans to conduct a missile launch between April 12 and 16," he noted.
Lavoy described the planned launch as "highly provocative" because it "manifests North Korea's desire to test and expand its long-range missile capability."
"In addition, the launch, if it occurs, would be in direct violation of Pyongyang's international obligations, including UN Security Council resolutions 1718 and 1874, which prohibit North Korea from conducting any launches that use ballistic missile technology," he said.
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