A pro-Pyongyang newspaper said Tuesday that sanctions against the North for its second nuclear test would only escalate tensions and called for direct talks between the United States and North Korea.

"No matter how high the degree of pressure is raised against the DPRK (North Korea), the DPRK will never change its current course," Chosun Sinbo said on its website.

"Rather, it will only escalate the chain reaction of sanctions and self-defence measures. There is no other option but to start dialogue and negotiations to cut off the cycle of rising tension," it added.

The paper, published in Japan, often reflects the communist state's official thinking.

North Korea withdrew from six-party disarmament talks in protest at United Nations sanctions over its April rocket launch.

It staged its second nuclear test on Monday, sparking an emergency UN Security Council meeting.

The Council unanimously condemned the North and several western diplomats hinted they would seek fresh sanctions.

Now that the six party talks have collapsed, the paper said, shaping a new framework for talks is up to the United States.

"The only point of reference for the DPRK to consider dialogue is changes in the US attitude," it said.

"Other countries have no proper means" to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table, it said.

"The resolution of confrontation and tension depends on whether the new US administration can take a bold approach toward North Korea or not."

US President Barack Obama spoke by phone with his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-Bak to coordinate reactions to the nuclear test.

They agreed to work closely together to seek and support a "strong United Nations Security Council resolution" with concrete measures to curtail North Korea's nuclear and missile activities, the White House said.

earlier related report

Russian diplomat expects 'tough' UN action on NKorea: report

The United Nations Security Council must act "tough" on North Korea, a Russian foreign ministry source was quoted as saying Tuesday, though he ruled out policies of "isolation."

"Most likely, the adoption of a tough UN Security Council resolution is unavoidable. The reaction should be fairly serious, because the authority of the Security Council is at stake," the source told Interfax news agency.

But he also said that "a blockade, isolation, any sort of cordons sanitaires are not a subject of discussion."

"The door to negotiations should always remain open," he added.

The UN Security Council unanimously condemned North Korea for testing a nuclear bomb on Monday in violation of an earlier UN resolution, and was set to discuss further measures to punish the reclusive Communist state.

Russia — a permanent, veto-holding member of the Security Council — has previously blocked stronger sanctions against Pyongyang that were sought by Western countries.

But Russia as well as North Korea's close ally China both strongly criticised the nuclear test on Monday.

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