Russia voices concern over N Korea's nuke test

Moscow, Oct 4 (UNI) Voicing concern over North Korea's plan to conduct its first-ever nuclear test, Russia has warned Pyongyang that it would further aggravate the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

''We believe that such a move, no matter how motivated, would run against the declared desire to denuclearise Korea and would lead to nothing but an even greater aggravation of the military and political situation on the Korean Peninsula and to the further erosion of the international system of nuclear non-proliferation,'' Russian Foreign Ministry yesterday said in a statement.

''We take a respectful and careful attitude to the anxiety of North Korea over its security, but we believe that a solution to this problem should be sought within the framework of the six-party negotiation process,'' the statement said, urging Pyongyang to show ''restraint.'' Last July, North Korea, which claims to have nuclear weapons, conducted test launches of ballistic missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2, in an attempt to force the international community, especially the United States, to make concessions over the six-nation nuclear talks.

The talks with the participation of North and South Korea, Russia, China, Japan and the US started in 2003, but stalled last November.

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