Int'l community urges DPRK to return to six-party talks

Video

Play VideoBackgrounder: DPRK nuclear issue Play VideoUN Security Council condemns DPRK´s nuke test Play VideoWorld concerned about DPRK tests

BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The announcement by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) that it successfully conducted a nuclear test on Monday has drawn much international attention, and the country is being urged to return to the six-party talks.

A number of international bodies, including the UN, the European Union (EU), NATO, and countries such as Russia and Germany, also called on the DPRK to abide by the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and not to take further steps that would lead to more tensions in the region.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement on Monday expressed his deep concern over the underground nuclear test and urged the DPRK to "refrain from taking further actions that would increase tensions in the region."

Ban reiterated "his conviction that differences should be resolved in a peaceful manner through dialogue."

The UN chief also called on the DPRK to "comply with its obligations in full and restart dialogue with the parties concerned without delay, including the early resumption of the six-party talks."

Ban "trusts that the Security Council will take up this matter to send out a strong and unified message, conducive to achieving the goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and peace and security in the region," the statement said.

The Czech Republic, which holds the current European Union (EU) rotating presidency, issued a statement on Monday, saying the EU "strongly condemns" the DPRK nuclear test.

The test threatens the stability of the Korean Peninsula and the whole region, as well as international peace and security, the statement issued by the country's Foreign Ministry, said.