North Korea nuclear test plan "irresponsible"--EU

BRUSSELS, Oct 3 (Reuters) The European Union denounced as ''irresponsible and escalatory'' an announcement by North Korea today that it planned to conduct a nuclear test and urged it to return to the negotiating table.

A statement from the Finnish Presidency of the 25-nation EU said it had noted the announcement with ''deep concern''.

''This announcement is an irresponsible and escalatory step,'' it said. ''It increases tension and undermines regional stability.'' The statement said the EU strongly urged North Korea to return to stalled six-party talks over its nuclear weapons' programme. ''The way ahead is through dialogue, not threats and confrontation,'' it said.

North Korea's foreign ministry released a statement today saying Pyongyang would conduct its first-ever nuclear test, blaming a United States' ''threat of nuclear war and sanctions'' for forcing its hand.

The United States urged the UN Security Council to respond to North Korea's threatened test, but China said the issue should be handled via the six-nation talks.

North Korea walked out of the talks involving the two Koreas, China, Japan, the United States and Russia a year ago and refuses to return until Washington ends a financial squeeze.

REUTERS SP BD2330