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Moscow says "extremely concerned" over DPRK's nuclear test

Xinhua, January 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

Moscow expressed serious concern on Wednesday over the latest nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"Moscow is extremely concerned over information ....that North Korea has tested a hydrogen bomb," Peskov said.

"President Vladimir Putin has given instructions (for specialists) to carefully study the data of all measurement stations including seismological bases, and to analyze the situation if information on the tests are confirmed," RIA Novosti news agency quoted Peskov as saying.

Earlier in the day, a statement carried by the DPRK's state media KCNA said that its first hydrogen bomb test had been carried out at 10:00 a.m. Pyongyang time (0130 GMT).

The UN Security Council is expected to call an emergency meeting to discuss the development.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday released an online statement, calling on all concerned parties to remain calm.

If the DPRK announcement proves to be true, the latest test could be a new step in Pyongyang's pursuit of nuclear weapons, which is a blatant violation of norms in international law and resolutions passed by the UN Security Council, the ministry said.

"Such actions extremely increase tension on the Korean Peninsula, which is already characterized by an extremely high potential of military and political confrontations," said the statement.

"In this situation we call on all concerned parties to exercise maximum restraint and not to take any actions that would lead to uncontrollable tension in northeastern Asia," the ministry said.

It reiterated its positions favoring "a diplomatic settlement of problems on the Korean Peninsula within the framework of the six-party talks process and a rapid beginning of dialogue aiming at establishing a reliable system of peace and security in the region."

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev noted that Russia's national security would be directly affected by the activities of the DPRK in pursuing its nuclear program given the geographical contiguity. Endi