The five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Japan have reached an agreement on a draft statement about North Korea's long-range rocket launch last weekend, envoys said tonight.
No details of the statement were immediately released but diplomats say the US-drafted text is a tough one.
British UN Ambassador John Sawers confirmed the agreement, which came after a nearly two-hour meeting today that ended a weeklong deadlock on a Security Council response to North Korea's rocket launch last Sunday.
"We now have an understanding amongst the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Japan on a draft presidential statement to put to the other members of the council," Mr Sawers told reporters.
Presidential statements are formal statements of council positions read out by the president of the Security Council. They are generally considered to be weaker than resolutions.
US Ambassador Susan Rice declined to disclose any details of the statement but said, "We think this text sends a clear message."
The full 15-member Security Council is expected to receive the draft text at a closed-door meeting scheduled this evening.
The agreement came after Japan said it would back a US-drafted statement to be issued by the council.
The United States, Japan and South Korea say North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile, not a satellite, in violation of Security Council resolution 1718 banning the firing of such missiles.
Although the statement does not declare North Korea in "violation" of 1718, diplomats said it suggests the launch was not in conformity with it, a compromise that was acceptable to Beijing.
Japan had been pushing for a council resolution that would declare Pyongyang in violation of resolution 1718 but Russia and China, which are permanent veto-wielding council members, opposed this. They were not convinced the rocket launch, which North Korea says put a satellite into orbit, was a violation.