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UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously condemned North Korea for violating the world body's resolutions by testing a nuclear bomb, council president Vitaly Churkin of Russia said.
"The members of the Security Council voiced their strong opposition and condemnation of the nuclear test conducted on 25 May 2009 by North Korea, which constitutes a clear violation of (UN) Resolution 1718," Churkin told reporters following an emergency meeting of the 15-member council.
Member states also decided to immediately begin working on a Security Council resolution to address North Korea's latest test, Churkin said.
The US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said "the US thinks this is a grave violation of international law, and a threat to regional and international peace and security.
"And therefore, the United States will seek a strong resolution with strong measures," she added.
"We believe it ought to be a strong resolution with appropriately strong contents, but obviously unless and until we complete the negotiation process, it is premature to say what its contents will be."
The emergency meeting began around 4:30 pm (2030 GMT), half an hour behind schedule.
It was preceded by a "P5 + 2" session between the five permanent veto-wielding members of the Security Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - plus Japan and South Korea, two of the countries involved in six-party talks aimed at shuttering Pyongyang's nuclear program.
Hours earlier, North Korea conducted its test - an underground blast far bigger than its first nuclear test in 2006 - drawing stern rebukes from global leaders, with US President Barack Obama warning of "grave" danger and Israel stressing "negative implications" in the Middle East.
South Korea put its military on alert and world powers frustrated by failed diplomatic efforts to rein in Pyongyang demanded a firm response.
Even China, the secretive North's closest international ally, expressed "resolute opposition."
Compounding the frustration among world leaders, the nuclear detonation came amid reports that Pyongyang also tested a short-range missile.
The main powers on the Security Council all strongly condemned North Korea with France urging sanctions against Kim Jong-Il's Stalinist administration, as foreign ministers from Asia and Europe began two days of talks.
"China strongly demands that North Korea keeps its promise of denuclearisation and ceases all actions that could further worsen the situation," the Chinese foreign ministry said in its statement.
Russia said the test would "provoke an escalation of tensions in northeast Asia," according to a foreign ministry statement, while British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the test was a "danger to the world." - AFP/de
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