Stressing that there is a lot of difference between North Korea firing off missiles and the Agni III missile test of India, the United States has said there can actually be no comparison between the two.
"... There is a significant difference and a noteworthy difference between India and North Korea. India has pursued its programme in such a way as not to be a threat of provocation to its neighbours.
"In that regard, it informed the United States in advance, and as it has by agreement, also notified the Pakistanis. It did it in a transparent and non-threatening way" White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters.
"North Korea, meanwhile, not only defied the express wishes of its neighbours and others in the neighbourhood, it also fired missiles as a provocation, without warning, to others, and therefore, has created the diplomatic activity that you now see. So those are the significant differences between the two," he said.
Snow maintained, in response to a query, that it would not have been fine with Washington even if North Korea had given prior notification of its missile firings.
{{/usCountry}}Snow maintained, in response to a query, that it would not have been fine with Washington even if North Korea had given prior notification of its missile firings.
{{/usCountry}}"No, because North Korea also had said that it would, in fact, adopt a moratorium. Keep in mind, in -- last September 19, the North Koreans, at the six-party talks, said that they would break down their nuclear programme. They would dismantle the nuclear weapons programme, while retaining the right, in their words, for a peaceful civilian" programme, he said.