W House urges North Korea not to test nuclear weapon

WASHINGTON, Oct 6 (Reuters) The White House said today that North Korea should not test a nuclear weapon, amid speculation Pyongyang might detonate a device as early as this weekend.

White House spokesman Dana Perino had no new information to disclose about whether a nuclear test was being planned but said: ''Our position has been very clear, that we don't believe North Korea should test a nuclear weapon and we have made that clear to them in public statements and in private statements as well.'' Perino said the United States was working with its allies in past talks with North Korea -- Japan, South Korea, China and Russia -- ''to use our influence and their influence to stress how important it is that North Korea not test a nuclear weapon.'' She said such a test would be ''destabilizing to the region'' and reiterated that Bush and other leaders had said it would be unacceptable.

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