US envoy says North Korea launches "provocative"

BEIJING, July 7 (Reuters) A senior US envoy today said that China and the United States were in broad agreement that North Korea's missile launches were a ''provocative act'' and added Washington would take measures to protect itself.

Christopher Hill began an Asian tour today to press Washington's case that Pyongyang must be brought to heel, as North Korea lashed out at Japan for imposing sanctions over this week's barrage of missile tests.

''There is broad agreement on the fact that what the DPRK (North Korea) did is really a provocative act, and that we all need to speak with one voice,'' he told reporters, urging North Korea to return to six-party talks on its nuclear programme.

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