The US:

“It can have a future or it can have these weapons,” said Chris Hill. “It cannot have both.”

South Korea:

“Our government clearly reconfirms our position that we will never accept North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons,” spokesman Chu Gyu-ho said. “And we urge North Korea to immediately cancel their plan for a nuclear test.”

China:

North Korea’s announcement that it plans to carry out a nuclear test is worrying its last remaining ally, China. Chinese officials are urging Pyongyang to exercise “calm and restraint” – but have stopped short so far of publicly warning the North or threatening any type of sanctions.

Russia:

Sergei Ivanov, Russia’s defense minister: “I am counting on the North Korean leadership to demonstrate restraint, caution and responsibility on this issue. [Nuclear] tests could inflict ecological damage on Russia.”

United Nations:

Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the DPRK “to exercise utmost restraint and adhere to the international community’s norm on nuclear testing and also observe the current moratorium.”

North Korea:

The U.S. has become more frantic in its military exercises and arms build-up on the peninsula and in its vicinity for the purpose of launching the second Korean war since it made a de facto “declaration of war” against the DPRK through the recent brigandish adoption of a UNSC resolution.

Russia & N. Korea nuclear tests

US Warns North Korea on Nuclear Test

China, US & N Korea

UNSC & DPRK nuclear test plans

DPRK & Nuclear War Deterrent

China & N Korean Planned Nuclear Test

S Korea Urges North Against Nuclear Test

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Why should you care? I’ll let the guys over at TCSDaily take this, since they’re professionals:

After the United States helped broker a Darfur peace deal in May, the United Nations promised to come to the rescue with a peacekeeping force capable of enforcing the accord. But, as Darfur faded from public consciousness, the world body has again proven itself utterly ineffective. As the feeble and largely symbolic African Union force (itself indifferent at best to the continuing rapes and murders) prepares to leave the region in five weeks, Darfur is on the brink of massive human killing with no international force forthcoming. The UN’s own chief of humanitarian operations, Jan Egeland, conceded in a recent interview that mass murder is about to begin on a tremendous scale, while rapes and individual killings are already the rule, not the exception. (Systematic sexual violence against women, we recall, is the hallmark of the crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Sudanese regime’s Janjaweed militia in Darfur. Even after they have been driven from their homes into wretched camps, Darfuri women still must venture out to fetch wood and water, putting themselves at risk.)

It seems to be the theme of the region, just like in Somalia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Uganda just to name a few. The UN only seems to move when the casualty rate gets to a certain number, but it’s never a set number mind you. (hat tip: Instapundit.com)

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SELF-DEFENSE IS NOT A RIGHT, according to a U.N. Report. David Hardy has some thoughts. “As might be expected from the source, the concept of ‘right’ is rather ineptly socialist: rights are what you may ask the government to do for you.”

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