Russia's Churkin said threatening or conducting a nuclear test "would not
help anybody including North Korea."
"This message is very clearly conveyed in the useful presidential statement
which we today adopted," he said. "Let's hope that things will cool off and that
everybody will return to six-party talks."
The warning was read at a formal meeting by the council president, Ambassador
Kenzo Oshima of Japan. The Japanese Foreign Ministry issued a statement later
saying if North Korea defies international concerns about a test, "the Security
Council must adopt a resolution outlining severely punitive measures."
Japan, which would be in close proximity to any North Korean nuclear test,
proposed the initial text of the statement, which becomes part of the council
record. Oshima had pressed to have it adopted before Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe travels to China on Sunday and South Korea on Monday with a message
that the North should stop testing.
"It's good that the council has come up with a very clear, strongly worded
message warning against a nuclear test" before the "very important" Japan-China
summit meeting, Oshima said.
The statement says a nuclear test would not help Pyongyang address its
concerns, especially strengthening its security.
It warns that a nuclear test would bring "universal condemnation," lead to
further unspecified council action, and "jeopardize peace, stability and
security in the region and beyond."
The council said it "deplores" the pursuit of nuclear weapons by the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea, known as the DPRK.
"The Security Council will be monitoring the situation closely," the
statement said. "The Security Council stresses that a nuclear test, if carried
out by the DPRK, would represent a clear threat to international peace and
security and that should the DPRK ignore calls of the international community,
the Security Council will act consistent with its responsibility under the
Charter of the United Nations."
Oshima indicated that the North could face sanctions or possible military
action under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter if it detonates a nuclear device.
Chapter 7 outlines actions the council can take to deal with threats to
international peace. He stressed that the statement says a nuclear test would
constitute such a threat, which "is clear enough."
"I think the terms in which this statement was prepared clearly indicate what
will be the consequences of their action if they, in fact, resort to a nuclear
test," Oshima said.