The Canadian government is condemning North Korea鈥檚 claim that it conducted its first hydrogen bomb test, calling it 鈥渞eckless behaviour.鈥�
Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion and his department expressed their outrage on Twitter, saying that a North Korean nuclear test represents
鈥淐anada condemns without reservation the reckless behaviour of , which today claimed to have detonated a nuclear device,鈥� one of the tweets read.
Late Tuesday, a North Korean television anchor declared that Pyongyang had tested a 鈥渕iniaturized鈥� hydrogen bomb and that the exercise was a 鈥減erfect success.鈥�
The state media said the test was a self-defence measure against a potential U.S. attack.
The announcement, however, was met with skepticism. Although seismic activity was detected in the vicinity of a known North Korean nuclear test site on Tuesday, South Korea's spy agency said the explosion appeared to be much smaller than would be expected, even in the event of a failed H-bomb detonation.
A White House spokesperson said Wednesday that an early analysis by the U.S. government was "not consistent with the claims that the regime has made of a successful hydrogen bomb test.鈥�
Regardless of whether North Korea detonated a hydrogen bomb or something else, this is the country鈥檚 fourth nuclear test and it should be a 鈥渨ake-up call鈥� for those who may have dismissed the regime鈥檚 capacities, said Lloyd Axworthy, former Canadian foreign affairs minister.
鈥淭his will be a sign that we have to be more serious,鈥� Axworthy told CTV鈥檚 Power Play Wednesday, adding that the new Liberal government should take the opportunity to voice its stance on nuclear threats and work with other nations to de-escalate the situation.
Pyongyang鈥檚 announcement was widely condemned by the international community.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the hydrogen bomb claim 鈥渄eeply troubling鈥� as the UN convened an emergency meeting to discuss the issue.
鈥淭his act is profoundly destabilising for regional security and seriously undermines international non-proliferation efforts,鈥� he said Wednesday. 鈥淚 condemn it unequivocally.鈥�
South Korean President Park Geun-Hye called it a 鈥済rave provocation of our national security,鈥� as well as 鈥渁 direct challenge to world peace and stability."
The British government echoed the White House by saying that any nuclear detonation by North Korea is a 鈥済rave breach鈥� of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
鈥淭his absolutely cannot be tolerated and we strongly condemn this act,鈥� Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a statement.
Australia鈥檚 foreign minister Julie Bishop also issued a statement, saying that the nuclear test 鈥渃onfirms North Korea's status as a rogue state and a continuing threat to international peace and security."
Axworthy said that China will be 鈥渢he key鈥� to de-escalating North Korea鈥檚 nuclear threats, because it鈥檚 a major support for the regime, especially when it comes to trade.
With files from The Associated Press
