The major powers at the UN Security Council have failed to agree a response to North Korea's rocket launch.

Council members met in an emergency session to discuss the blast-off which is feared to be part of a North Korean nuclear missile testing programme.

The launch took place in breach of a UN resolution and was branded "completely unacceptable" by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Security council members - which include the UK, China, Russia and the US - broke up without agreeing a new resolution or united response.

Mexican ambassador Claude Heller, the council's president, said the council would reconvene "as soon as possible" to reach consensus on what to do about North Korea.

Yukio Takasu, Japan's ambassador to the UN, called for a "clear, unified and firm" council resolution to back up the earlier sanctions.

"This is in direct defiance of all members of the international community," he said. "It is quite regrettable and we should condemn it."

The multistage rocket was launched from the coastal Musudan-ri launch pad in north-eastern North Korea, flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean. North Korea said it sent a satellite into space.

Both Mr Brown and US President Barack Obama called the launch a "breach of international obligations" and US officials said America would want to punish the North.

But China, North Korea's only remaining ally, offered a muted response, calling for "calm and restraint" on all sides.

Speaking in Prague where he was meeting EU and US leaders, Mr Brown said: "The North Korea missile test today is completely unacceptable. It's a breach of international obligations.

"It will be condemned in every country across the world and they should desist from testing and proliferating nuclear weapons."

Mr Obama said North Korea's actions were a clear violation of the security council resolution 1718, which prohibits North Korea from conducting ballistic missile-related activities of any kind.

He said the launch reminded the world "why we need a new and more rigorous approach" to address the threat posed by nuclear weapons.

"North Korea broke the rules once again by testing a rocket that could be used for a long range missile," he said.

"This provocation underscores the need for action - not just this afternoon at the UN Security Council, but in our determination to prevent the spread of these weapons."

In contrast, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said: "We hope that all sides will maintain calm and restraint, handle the matter appropriately, and work together to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability."

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