US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday asked her Chinese counterpart to convey US concern to Beijing's ally North Korea after its defiant but unsuccessful rocket launch.

Clinton, who was heading Friday to a summit in Colombia, spoke by telephone with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi as she sought a "unified way to speak out and condemn this action," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.

"We're asking them to use their relationship with North Korea to convey our concern about their recent actions," Toner told reporters.

China is believed to have the most influence over North Korea and the United States has repeatedly urged the rising Asian power to rein in its isolated and heavily militarized neighbor.

China had taken the rare step of criticizing the launch plan, which came just weeks after the United States and North Korea sealed an agreement negotiated in Beijing for a freeze on Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.

After Pyongyang went ahead, China urged "calm and restraint" from all sides. North Korea said it failed to put a satellite into orbit, in a launch that the United States and South Korea considered a disguised missile test.

President Barack Obama entered office in 2009 with a policy to reach out to US adversaries. But he had hesitated at diplomacy with North Korea, which carried out missile and nuclear tests within months of his administration.

The Obama administration eventually returned to talks and on February 29 announced an agreement to deliver food aid to North Korea, which pledged a freeze on its missile and nuclear programs.

Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes defended Obama's policy from domestic critics, noting that previous Republican president George W. Bush had controversially removed North Korea from a terrorism blacklist as he sought a diplomatic breakthrough late in his second term.

"What this administration has done is broken the cycle of rewarding provocative actions by the North Koreans that we've seen in the past," Rhodes told reporters on Air Force One.

Rhodes said that the United States had not provided North Korea any assistance under the February 29 deal. The administration suspended plans for the food aid after North Korea announced its launch preparations.

Rhodes said that the Obama administration also put in place "the most unprecedented sanctions in place against the North Koreans that we've seen to date," referring to UN and US actions following the regime's 2009 tests.

Several Republicans said that North Korea's missile launch showed a failure of Obama's foreign policy, widely seen as one of the president's strengths as he seeks reelection in November.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said that North Korea's weapons program "poses a clear and growing threat to the United States, one for which President Obama has no effective response."

"Instead of approaching Pyongyang from a position of strength, President Obama sought to appease the regime with a food aid deal that proved to be as naive as it was short-lived," Romney said in a statement Thursday.

West condemns N.Korean launch; China, Russia urge restraint
Washington (AFP) April 13, 2012 - The United States and its allies Friday condemned North Korea's failed rocket launch as a provocative act that threatens regional security, while China, Russia and India urged restraint on all sides.

North Korea, which had described the launch as that of a space satellite, said the rocket failed soon after lift-off and plunged into the Pacific.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon termed the launch "deplorable", the term also later used by the 15-member UN Security Council, and said it "defies the firm and unanimous stance of the international community".

The White House said that "North Korea is only further isolating itself by engaging in provocative acts and is wasting its money on weapons and propaganda displays while the North Korean people go hungry.

"Despite the failure of its attempted missile launch, North Korea's provocative action threatens regional security, violates international law and contravenes its own recent commitments," said spokesman Jay Carney.

The Security Council -- where permanent members China and Russia have veto power -- chose more moderate language and deplored the launch as a violation of its previous resolutions against Pyongyang.

The US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, said the council members had "agreed to continue consultations on an appropriate response", but said it was "premature" to say what kind of measure it might take.

"We think a credible reaction is important," she said.

Beijing, Pyongyang's closest ally, urged world and regional powers to work to reopen long stalled six-party talks between the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and China.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, after meeting with his Chinese and Indian counterparts in Moscow, said: "We are convinced that the reaction to these challenges needs to be exclusively diplomatic and political."

"We call on all parties to show maximum responsibility and restraint and to make efforts for a renewal of six party talks," Lavrov said.

"We do not believe in new sanctions. They would not do anything from the standpoint of settling the situation," he added.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Beijing had been working hard to avoid further tensions and was disappointed with Pyongyang's decision to proceed with the launch.

Yang said China was "concerned by North Korea's decision" and expressed hope that all sides "will promote mutual understanding through joint efforts and promote the six party process."

The three giant regional powers also recognised North Korea's right to pursue space exploration and said Pyongyang would be welcome to conduct launches once it cooperates with the United Nations.

North Korea's "right to use outer space for peaceful purposes can be realised exclusively in the context of the lifting of corresponding limitations," their joint statement said.

Washington's key regional allies, South Korea and Japan, spoke in unison, blasting the launch as a contravention of UN resolutions.

South Korea spoke of a "provocative act" and "a clear breach of the UN resolution that prohibits any launch using ballistic missile technology".

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said: "Even if it was a failure, it is a grave provocation to our country and other countries concerned and violates UN Security Council resolutions."

Foreign ministers from the Group of Eight powers -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the US -- jointly called on North Korea to refrain from future attempts.

The European Union described North Korea's action as "dangerous and destabilising."

NATO said it "undermines efforts to reduce tensions and increase transparency and trust in the Korean peninsula and the wider region".

Australia was in lockstep with its Western allies, with Prime Minister Julia Gillard urging a "robust response" from the Security Council, while Canada called the communist regime's behaviour "reckless and provocative."

Indonesia struck a cautious note, urging calm in the wake of the launch.

"More than ever, it is vital that diplomacy and dialogue be placed at the forefront in order to ensure peace and stability on the Korean peninsula," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said.