EU presidency statement on the carrying out of a nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Press release 411/2006

9 October 2006

The Presidency of the European Union strongly condemns the test of a nuclear explosive device by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Carrying out the test was unacceptable. The EU works in close cooperation with the international community for a decisive international response to this provocative act.

Defying the Security Council statement of 6 October 2006 and the calls of the international community, this test profoundly jeopardizes regional stability and represents a severe threat to international peace and security. It is a flagrant breach of the December 1991 North-South Denuclearisation Declaration. Furthermore, it conflicts completely with the UN Security Council Resolution 1695 unanimously adopted after the launch by the DPRK of ballistic missiles, which underlined the need for the DPRK to show restraint and refrain from any action that might aggravate tension.

The Presidency strongly urges the DPRK to announce immediately that it will refrain from any further tests of a nuclear device, publicly renounce nuclear weapons and return immediately and without preconditions to the Six-Party Talks and work towards implementation of the Joint Statement of September 2005, and, in particular, to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes. The EU also urges the DPRK to return to compliance with the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards obligations. The EU further calls on the DPRK to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.