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Moscow hopes N. Korea will move to ease world concerns

RIA Novosti

18/10/2006 13:24 MOSCOW, October 18 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow hopes North Korea will move to alleviate the international community's concerns over its nuclear ambitions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

The UN Security Council passed a resolution on North Korea on Saturday, condemning the reclusive Communist regime's October 9 nuclear test and imposing arms and financial sanctions. Pyongyang said the resolution was tantamount to a declaration of war.

The ministry said, "We hope our North Korean partners will sooner or later respond adequately to the international community's apprehensions over the nuclear test ... and will make a sound decision to resolve the present complicated situation via peace talks, rather than nuclear confrontation."

The Security Council resolution, which called the test a "clear threat to international peace and security," allows for the inspection of cargo to or from North Korea that may contain weapons of mass destruction or elements of such weapons, and calls on all countries to freeze the North's funds connected to its non-conventional arms program.

The sanctions will be lifted as soon as Pyongyang agrees to give up its nuclear program and returns to the six-nation talks with South Korea, Russia, Japan, China and the United States.

The Foreign Ministry also said Wednesday that all six nations must make sure the resolution is implemented, echoing U.S. concerns over South Korea and China's reluctance to clamp down on the difficult neighbor.

"This is the only way to find mutually acceptable solutions and ensure the nuclear non-proliferation regime by denuclearizing the Korean peninsula, while taking into account North Korea's justified concerns," the ministry said.

On Tuesday, the chief of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces said he does not rule out that Pyongyang could conduct a second nuclear test.

"It is difficult to answer unequivocally, but the possibility cannot be excluded," Yury Baluyevsky said.