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China for talks on North Korea

Asks Pyongyang to maintain restraint

BEIJING: China hopes that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will maintain calm and restraint on the nuclear test issue, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao in a statement here on Wednesday.

North Korean Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that it would conduct a nuclear test in the future.

``We also hope that all relevant parties will address their concerns through dialogue instead of taking action that may intensify the situation,'' Mr. Liu said. China always advocated denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula to safeguarding peace and stability through the six-party talks process, he said.

The international community responded quickly to the announcement.

United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the DPRK's move would be a ``very provocative'' act.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan also voiced his serious concern. ``Such action, if undertaken, would further aggravate tensions in the region,'' he said, noting that ``it would bring universal condemnation by the international community and will not help DPRK achieve the goals expressed in its statement, particularly with regard to strengthening its security.''

Troop withdrawal

North Korea called on Wednesday for the withdrawal of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea.

``The U.S. occupational forces in the South are putting spurs on warlike forces there while blocking the improvement of North-South relations by raising tension by reckless, provocative military drills,'' said Rodong Sinmun, official daily of the ruling Communist Party.

``It is our nation's persistent resolve and intention to force the U.S. invasion forces to leave the South,'' it said in a commentary.

Some 29,500 U.S. troops are stationed in the South to help 6,50,000 South Korean soldiers face up to North Korea's 1.2 million-strong army.

``The occupation of the South by U.S. invasion forces is the prime obstacle to the reunification of the country,'' the daily said.

Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) meanwhile attacked the South over its plan to create a missile defence unit to cope with North Korea's missiles. KCNA as of Wednesday evening had carried no further articles on the planned nuclear test. — Agencies

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