NEW YORK, Oct 15: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice should hold talks with North Korea, UN Secretary-General designate Ban Ki-moon said on an ABC news programme on Sunday.

“If possible, it would be a good opportunity,” he said. “The United States has expressed on many occasions that they will be prepared to talk with North Korea if and when they return to six-party talks. I hope North Korea will take this opportunity to discuss all their concerns.”

Ms Rice is expected to travel to South-East Asia next week.

The United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution on Saturday that would impose strict sanctions against North Korea just six days after it declared that it conducted an underground nuclear test.

The Security Council said the North Korean test amounted to a “clear threat to international peace and security.”

Immediately after the vote, North Korean Ambassador Pak Gil-yon addressed the Council and rejected the UN move, calling it a “gangster-like action”.

“This clearly shows the Security Council has completely lost its impartiality,” he said, “as it persists in applying double standards in its work.”

Ban reflected on the ABC news: “This is very much regrettable that North Korea declared the rejection.”

Ban, the current minister of foreign affairs and trade for South Korea, said he “hopes North Korea will comply fully to [the] resolutions”.

The UN vote faced delays because of objections by China and Russia. China objected to a provision that would have allowed for the search of all cargo ships headed into or out of North Korea.

The Chinese delegation maintained that intrusive searches could provoke further conflict in the region. The final resolution will allow for vessels to be searched “when necessary”.

Despite China’s hesitancy, Ban Ki-moon told Weir that he believes Saturday’s resolution would be fully enforced.

“I am confident that member states will fully implement this resolution so that there will be no concern for proliferation,” he said.

He said: “The key to the issue is diplomacy.”