North Korea's second nuclear test launched a flurry of diplomatic activity in Washington, with US President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and National Security Advisor General (rtd) James Jones engaged is a series of meetings to discuss the fallout.
Top officials of the US administration, engaged in a fire fighting operation on the foreign policy front, held deliberations on the way forward, as Obama telephoned leaders of South Korea and Japan to chart out a collective response.
Obama, who was briefed on this issue several times last week, was first informed about North Korea's conducting of a second nuclear test at about 11.15 pm on Sunday.
After holding a telephonic call with General Jones on the issue at midnight, the President issued his first public reaction calling it a "reckless challenge" of the North Koreans to the international community.
Meanwhile, early in the morning Clinton reached out to her North Korean and Japanese counterparts and later in the evening with the Foreign Ministers of Russia and China.
With Pyongyang's defiance inviting global condemnation, an inter-agency meeting of US Government was held at about 9 am yesterday. Fifty minutes later, Obama held a meeting with his national security personnel along with US Ambassador to UN Susan Rice, who left for New York to attend an emergency UNSC meeting soon thereafter.
Obama issued another statement at 10.35 am after his meeting with his national security personnel. Thereafter he left for Arlington to pay homage to the fallen soldiers.
On his return later in the evening, Obama made telephone calls to Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, pledging to work with them to obtain a UN resolution with "concrete measures" againt Pyongyang.
The calls were followed by another round of Inter-Agency meeting on North Korea at about 6 pm.
During the series of meetings and telephone calls which originated from Washington yesterday, the Obama Administration underscored that North Korea's behaviour was "disappointing" but not surprising.
"North Korea is now more isolated than ever. It has lost all credibility, even demanding an apology from the Security Council," US officials said, referring to Pyongyang's reaction to UNSC's rebuke for its April 5 rocket launch.
North Korea warned on April 29 that it would conduct a second test "should the UNSC not apologise immediately".
As the Obama Administration reached out to the world in an effort to evolve a common approach to the latest global crisis, a State Department official said almost all the major players are on board with the UN on this issue.
Russia, China, South Korea and Japan have all issued strong denunciations of North Korea's actions, as have Australia, European Union, UK and others, the official said.
"As such, North Korea's action will only deepen its isolation from the international community," the official said.
