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WASHINGTON - The United States today warned North Korea of "severe consequences" to the diplomatic push to end its nuclear programmes if Pyongyang conducts a second atomic test.
The US State Department issued the warning as US and South Korean officials sought to play down reports that North Korea, which carried out its first nuclear test on October 9, might be preparing for another.
South Korean officials said activity had been spotted near a suspected nuclear test site in North Korea but there was no evidence to suggest Pyongyang was about to test again.
"We do not have any indication that that kind of test is imminent," South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon told reporters after meeting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
"The North Koreans would have to know that any such test would obviously further deepen their isolation," Rice said.
US officials held out the possibility of a quick resumption of six-party talks on ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions if Pyongyang were to return to the table prepared to carry out its agreement to abandon its nuclear programmes.
The talks, which involve the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States, made no headway during their last round in Beijing in December.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said there were signs that a fresh round was possible this month but he made clear that a new North Korean nuclear test would be unwelcome.
"If you did have another test of a nuclear device, that would have severe consequences for the viability of that political-diplomatic process -- why would they take such a step at this time?" State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.
The talks were designed to find a way to carry out a six-party agreement reached on September 19, 2005 in which North Korea said it was committed "to abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes." In return, the other countries held out economic, political and security incentives.
Despite the failure of the last round, Rice said the parties had made some progress.
"One of the reasons that you are hearing some sense that we might be able to return sooner than later is that when you look at what happened in the last round of the talks, there actually was significant groundwork laid for potential outcomes that could be useful," Rice told a news conference with Song.
"If there are signals that in fact the North is now ready to come back in a more constructive way ... I do think that we could be back in talks fairly soon," she added, but declined to say when that might be.
"It is North Korea's turn to come back to us with a positive and realistic response to the proposals tabled in Beijing," Song added.
North Korea's October 9 nuclear test caused unease across the Pacific and its neighbours, as well as the United States, have been scrutinizing the country for any signs of a new test.
The United States monitors North Korea by satellite and spy planes that fly along the fringes of the reclusive communist state's airspace to watch for signs of nuclear activity.
"Certain activities have been detected near a suspected North Korean nuclear test site but currently there are no specific indications related to an additional test," said a South Korean source familiar with the North's nuclear programme.
The source asked not to be named and declined to explain how the latest movements were spotted.
Another South Korean official in Seoul said vehicle and personnel movement had been spotted near the site of the North's first test, Yonhap news agency reported.
That official said, however, that there were no signs of cables being laid or electronic monitors being installed which might indicate a test was imminent.
- REUTERS
