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Powers Urge North Korea To Abandon Nuclear Test

October 6, 2006 -- The UN Security Council is expected to adopt a statement later today warning North Korea against carrying out a nuclear test.

The statement is also expected to call on Pyongyang to return immediately to six-country talks aimed at persuading it to abandon nuclear arms.

The discussions come after U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said that a successful North Korean nuclear test would demonstrate the international community's weakness.

"There is discussion ongoing in the Security Council right now about a [Security Council] presidential statement reiterating -- or emphasizing, I guess I should say -- the consensus of the international community that North Korea definitely should not proceed with this [nuclear test]," U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said. "We think that it is important to have that kind of statement again to make it absolutely clear to the North Koreans what the view of the international community is."

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said his government would send a "grave warning" to North Korea. And China has warned its ally North Korea of "serious consequences" if it carries out the test.

North Korea has said it needs nuclear weapons to stop any possible attack by the United States. Washington has said it has no intention of invading.

(compiled from agency reports)

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org