The international community continued to react strongly to Monday's nuclear test conducted by North Korea, calling on Pyongyang to return to the six-party talks immediately.

UN Security Council president of the month, Japan's UN Ambassador Kenzo Oshima, urged the North Korea to abandon its nuclear program and programs relating to missiles.

"It is the desire of the Security Council to find an appropriate measure in order to respond to this test," he said.

In Vienna, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei expressed deep regret over and serious concern about the nuclear test, which "threatens the nuclear non-proliferation regime and creates serious security challenges not only for the East Asian region but also for the international community."

The test frustrated the international commitments to moving towards nuclear disarmament, he said.

ElBaradei added that a negotiated solution to North Korea nuclear issue was very important, saying the "resumption of dialogue between all concerned parties is indispensable and urgent."

The Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Organization also voiced concern about Pyongyang's nuclear test.

The nuclear test disregarded "the demands of the international community," imperiled the process of global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and deteriorated regional security, said a statement issued by the organization's preparatory commission.

It urged North Korea to sign and ratify the CTBT "without delay," and called on Pyongyang to return immediately to the six-party talks "without precondition."

In Brussels, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) condemned the North Korea's nuclear test and called on the country to come back to the six-party talks.

In a written statement, the 26-member military alliance called upon North Korea to "cease immediately the development of any nuclear weapon technologies, to return immediately to the six-party talks without precondition, and to completely and verifiably eliminate its nuclear weapons and related programs."

The statement said NATO joins all of the international community in calling on North Korea to abide by its non-proliferation obligations, and will continue to monitor developments with attention and deep concern.

Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, president-in-office of the Brussels-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), echoed NATO's reaction to the nuclear test.

De Gucht said North Korea should "immediately abandon its nuclear weapons program and avoid any actions that would further heighten tension."

He also spoke out against reactions that could trigger an arms race in the region.
"Cooperation and dialogue, not nuclear deterrence or larger militaries, lead to global security," De Gucht said.

Some European countries, including Denmark, Greece, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Romania and Switzerland, also expressed deep concern over Pyongyang's move.

In Latin America, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela deplored the North Korea's nuclear test and urged the country to return immediately to the six-party talks.

Since 2003, China, the United States, Japan, Russia, and South Korea have held intermittent talks with North Korea aimed to maintain peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2006)