Riki Ellison, President of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) and the entire 9,000 members believe that there were two issues to the successful vote by the United Nations Security Council in adopting a resolution to impose punishing sanctions on North Korea for its claimed nuclear test.

The resolution by the UN Security Council calling for elimination of nuclear weapons from North Korea, and a missile embargo against ballistic missiles were the two key issues. This was the first time the Security Council adopted a sanctions resolution against North Korea since the country joined the United Nations in 1991. It is a strong message to North Korea and all other rogue nations wanting to develop nuclear weapons.

"We strongly endorse the United Nations Security Council's resolution by the fifteen nations to demand elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons and the embargo of ballistics missiles. We believe this resolution along with the election of Ban Ki-Moon of South Korea as the Secretary General of the United Nations sends the strongest international resolve against North Korea for its nuclear intentions. We hope that Kim Jong-Il and his government accept the resolution and completely withdraw their nuclear weapons for the good of his people that he governs and their future as well as to our world."

All 15 members of the Council approved the resolution including the five permanent U.N. Security Council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. The resolution, which rules out military action against North Korea, calls for wide-ranging diplomatic and economic sanctions against North Korea. The resolution demands an embargo of all major arms systems to include ballistic missiles.

Ellison said, "We strongly endorse the arms embargo put forward on the resolution against ballistic missiles from North Korea. We recognize that China and Russia's demand of withdrawing the Security Council's resolution for military action was accepted by the United States because there is a deployed missile defense capability in the region that provides the United States additional options other than preemptive military action."

"This resolution by the UN Security Council should also serve as a severe warning to other countries that might strive to proliferate weapons of mass destruction that the international community will not stand by and let this happen."

Ellison closed his remarks by advising North Korea, "It is time to come to the six-nation bargaining table. It is time to give up a path that can only lead to dire consequences. It is time to give up your nuclear weapons program. The United Nations Security Council has spoken with a voice of unanimity, and the message is loud and clear. Don't go the path of nuclear weapons proliferation or there will be consequences by the international community."