At the ninth meeting of the UN Security Council this year on the issue of North Korea, the divisions within the body once again prevented any action to curb the increasing tensions on the Korean peninsula.
The 15 members of the UN's most powerful body failed to agree on a joint statement in New York. Instead, a number of countries- including the US, Britain and France - separately condemned Pyongyang's ongoing missile tests.
"The unity of the Security Council in this matter is essential to ease tensions, overcome the diplomatic impasse and the negative action-reaction cycle," Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari warned.
The country led by strongman Kim Jong Un is currently testing missiles again at an unusually high frequency.
According to the South Korean military, North Korea had already tested more than 25 missiles this week, including an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with a range of several thousand kilometres.
Observers also fear that North Korea's first nuclear test in years could be imminent.
UN resolutions prohibit North Korea from testing ballistic missiles of any range, some of which are capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
A number of Security Council countries such as the United States,Britain and France strongly condemned the tests on Friday.
A unified approach by the council failed in the past due to resistance from China, which is seen as North Korea's closest international partner. -- dpa
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