After a meeting in Moscow, the foreign ministers condemned last week's test but said any action against North Korea had to be agreed upon at the United Nations.

 

　　Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi:

 

　　"We are against the nuclear test carried out by North Korea. But at the same time, we believe that the U.N. Security Council should give an adequate response to this issue. The international community should stand against the nuclear test, and at the same time make an effort to maintain peace and stability on the Korean peninsula."

 

　　Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed.

 

　　"Russia and China share the same point of view that these actions are unacceptable and without any doubt require condemnation and an adequate reaction from the U.N. Security Council. That being said, it's vitally important to not use the current situation to start the modern weapons race in the region and to not allow the use of this situation as a pretext for outside military intervention."

 

　　North Korea conducted its third nuclear test on Feb. 12th despite international opposition.

 

　　Washington and its allies have warned that more sanctions would be imposed on Pyongyang.

 

　　The U.N. Security Council has only just tightened sanctions on Pyongyang after it launched a long-range rocket in December.

 

　　North Korea is banned under U.N. sanctions from developing missile or nuclear technology after its 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests.