France calls for `tough response` to North Korea rocket launch

Paris: France condemned North Korea 's launch of a long-range rocket on Sunday as "senseless provocation" and called for a "rapid and tough" response from the UN Security Council .

"France condemns with the utmost firmness the new flagrant violation by North Korea of the resolutions of the Security Council," the presidential Elysee Palace said in a statement.

"The launch... Is a senseless provocation," it added, saying "France calls for a rapid and tough response from the international community at the Security Council" meeting in New York later today.