Malaysia today urged China and Russia to use their influence to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear tests, after the reclusive state announced it had carried out an underground blast.

"I hope the Russians and Chinese can use their good influence to convince North Korea they should stop all these nuclear testing activities. We do not need another cause for global conflict," said Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar.

"We hope North Korea will stop its nuclear tests and will take action to not jeopardise the interests to see the East Asian region as a peaceful, secure and progressive region," he said.

Syed Hamid, who visited the North Korean capital Pyongyang last year, said the United Nations was at a dead end on the issue.

"Our region is very worried and concerned with this new development. I do not know what actions more they (the UN) can take against North Korea," he said.

Relatively close ties

Syed Hamid said that Malaysia, which has relatively close relations with North Korea, wanted the stalled six-party talks on its nuclear programme - involving the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia, the United States - to be revived.

"The six-party talks should be recommenced. Any action which can jeopardise or frustrate the possibility of commencing the six-party talks does not paint a good picture."

Bilateral trade between North Korea and Malaysia has shot up in recent years, with total trade worth RM78.29 million in 2004 and nearly RM69.77 million in 2005.

Malaysia's exports to North Korea in 2005 were worth RM68.37 million, while its imports from North Korea were valued at RM1.4 million.