World powers urge N.Korea to refrain from nuclear test

The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council called on North Korea on Thursday to refrain from any new nuclear tests.
   
North Korea, which tested plutonium devices in 2006 and 2009, has almost completed preparations for a third nuclear test, a senior source with close ties to Pyongyang and Beijing told Reuters last month.
   
"We ... call on (North Korea) to refrain from further actions which may cause grave security concerns in the region, including any nuclear tests," said a joint statement by the United States, France, Russia, China and Britain delivered at a nuclear meeting in Vienna.

China should help make clear to North Korea that it should avoid "further provocation", the U.S. Secretary of State said on Thursday.   

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in her opening remarks for the two-day Strategic and Economic Dialogue, also said that it is critical to keep up pressure on Iran.   

The annual U.S.-China meeting is likely to be overshadowed by the case of a Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, who left the U.S. embassy on Wednesday.

Reuters