Russia raps N.Korea nuke test, wants no force used

MOSCOW, Oct 10 (Reuters) Russia today said North Korea's first reported nuclear test was a ''colossal blow'' to the on-proliferation regime, but an eventual United Nations resolution on this issue should not involve the use of force.

''This (nuclear test) was a colossal blow to the non-proliferation regime,'' Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov told a news conference.

''I think that when a resolution is being looked at in the (U.N.) Security Council, we are not talking about using force.'' Hours after yesterday's nuclear test by North Korea, Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the blast but urged countries involved in negotiations on Pyongyang's atomic programme to show restraint in their reaction.

''For us that is very important ... imagine if there was military action on the territory of North Korea ... North Korea has borders with three countries, and one of them is Russia,'' Mr Ivanov said.

Russia, along with the United States, China, South Korea and Japan, is involved in international efforts to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons programme.

Moscow has resisted Western calls to penalise North Korea for its nuclear ambitions. But last week Russia's foreign ministry described as ''unacceptable'' Pyongyang's plans to conduct a nuclear test.

Mr Ivanov yesterday said the power of the North Korean nuclear test ranged between 5 and 15 kilotons.

''North Korea is a closed country. It has the right to live as its people wish,'' Mr Ivanov told the news conference.

''But such things provoke justified concern, and I think in this case that the whole world gave the same assessment to the fact that North Korea became de facto the ninth nuclear state.'' Elaborating on a possible response from the world community to North Korea's nuclear tests, he said: ''I think we are talking about the tightening of the sanctions.'' Reuters SHB DB2127