Pope sees nuclear arms race risk in Korea region

VATICAN CITY, Feb 15 (Reuters) Pope Benedict said today he was concerned about the possibility of a nuclear arms race in Asia and urged peaceful efforts to resolve the problem of North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

The Pontiff received South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun in a week when North Korea agreed to dismantle its nuclear weapons programme in return for energy aid.

Benedict said he was praying for peace and stability on the divided peninsula.

''The risk of a nuclear arms race in the region is a further source of concern, fully shared by the Holy See,'' the Pope said in a written message.

''I urge all interested parties to make every effort to resolve the present tensions through peaceful means and to refrain from any gesture or initiative that might endanger the negotiations, while ensuring that the most vulnerable part of the North Korean population has access to humanitarian aid.'' North and South Korea agreed to restart high-level talks after the nuclear deal, paving the way for food aid to resume to the communist state.

South Korea suspended aid after missile tests by the North last July and there had been no top-level meetings between the two since the October nuclear test.

Reuters SP RN1825