The international community continued to react strongly to
Monday's nuclear test conducted by North Korea, calling on
Pyongyang to return to the six-party talks immediately.
UN Security Council president of the month, Japan's UN
Ambassador Kenzo Oshima, urged the North Korea to abandon its
nuclear program and programs relating to missiles.
"It is the desire of the Security Council to find an appropriate
measure in order to respond to this test," he said.
In Vienna, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei expressed deep regret over and
serious concern about the nuclear test, which "threatens the
nuclear non-proliferation regime and creates serious security
challenges not only for the East Asian region but also for the
international community."
The test frustrated the international commitments to moving
towards nuclear disarmament, he said.
ElBaradei added that a negotiated solution to North Korea
nuclear issue was very important, saying the "resumption of
dialogue between all concerned parties is indispensable and
urgent."
The Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
Organization also voiced concern about Pyongyang's nuclear
test.
The nuclear test disregarded "the demands of the international
community," imperiled the process of global nuclear disarmament and
non-proliferation, and deteriorated regional security, said a
statement issued by the organization's preparatory commission.
It urged North Korea to sign and ratify the CTBT "without
delay," and called on Pyongyang to return immediately to the
six-party talks "without precondition."
In Brussels, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
condemned the North Korea's nuclear test and called on the country
to come back to the six-party talks.
In a written statement, the 26-member military alliance called
upon North Korea to "cease immediately the development of any
nuclear weapon technologies, to return immediately to the six-party
talks without precondition, and to completely and verifiably
eliminate its nuclear weapons and related programs."
The statement said NATO joins all of the international community
in calling on North Korea to abide by its non-proliferation
obligations, and will continue to monitor developments with
attention and deep concern.
Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, president-in-office of
the Brussels-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE), echoed NATO's reaction to the nuclear test.
De Gucht said North Korea should "immediately abandon its
nuclear weapons program and avoid any actions that would further
heighten tension."
He also spoke out against reactions that could trigger an arms
race in the region.
"Cooperation and dialogue, not nuclear deterrence or larger
militaries, lead to global security," De Gucht said.
Some European countries, including Denmark, Greece, Italy,
Norway, Portugal, Romania and Switzerland, also expressed deep
concern over Pyongyang's move.
In Latin America, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and
Venezuela deplored the North Korea's nuclear test and urged the
country to return immediately to the six-party talks.
Since 2003, China, the United States, Japan, Russia, and South
Korea have held intermittent talks with North Korea aimed to
maintain peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.
(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2006)
