U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday in a statement released here that a nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) would pose an "unacceptable" threat to peace and stability in Asia and the world.

A nuclear test would "severely undermine our confidence in the DPRK's commitment to six party talks and would pose an unacceptable threat to peace and stability in Asia and the world," said McCormack in the statement.

"A provocative action of this nature would only further isolate the DPRK," McCormack said.

"The U.S. will continue to work with its allies and partners to discourage such a reckless action and will respond appropriately," he said.

McCormack was in the Egyptian capital Cairo accompanying U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who arrived here earlier in the day on a two-day visit to Egypt as part of a regional tour, which has already taken her to Saudi Arabia.

McCormack's remarks came after the DPRK announced earlier in the day that it would conduct a nuclear test in the future as a war deterrent against the hostile U.S. policy.

In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, the DPRK said it "will in the future conduct a nuclear test under conditions where safety is firmly guaranteed," the official Korean Central News Agency reported.

But the statement did not give a specific date or location for the upcoming test.

The six-party talks, which involves China, the DPRK, the United States, South Korea, Russia and Japan, have been stalled since the first phase of the fifth round of talks ended last November.

Source: Xinhua