S/PV.5546 Security Council

The President: The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. After consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council. "The Security Council expresses its deep concern over the statement of 3 October 2006 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in which it stated that the DPRK would conduct a nuclear test in the future. "The Security Council reaffirms that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery constitutes a threat to international peace and security. The Security Council deplores the DPRK's announcement of withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (the Treaty) and its stated pursuit of nuclear weapons in spite of its Treaty and International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards obligations. The Security Council deems that should the DPRK carry out its threat of a nuclear weapon test, it would jeopardize peace, stability and security in the region and beyond. "The Security Council underlines that such a test would bring universal condemnation by the international community and would not help the DPRK to address the stated concerns particularly the with regard to strengthening its security. The Security Council urges the DPRK not to undertake such a test and to refrain from any action that might aggravate tension, to work on the resolution of non-proliferation concerns and to facilitate a peaceful and comprehensive solution through political and diplomatic efforts. The Security Council reiterates the need for the DPRK to comply fully with all the provisions of Security Council resolution 1695 (2006). "The Security Council supports the Six- Party Talks and calls for their early resumption with a View to achieving the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner and to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in North- East Asia. "The Security Council urges the DPRK to return immediately to the Six-Party Talks without precondition, and to work towards the expeditious implementation of the 19 September 2005 Joint Statement, and in particular to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes. "The Security Council will be monitoring this situation closely. 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." This statement will be issued as a document of Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2006/4l. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 1.30 p.m. 06-55808