Japan, US, S. Korea to hold telephone summit on nuke test

Tokyo, Feb 12 (AFP) Japan, South Korea and the United States will hold a telephone summit to discuss North Korea's nuclear test today, the Japanese government said. "We are arranging telephone conversations among the the leaders and foreign ministers" as part of diplomatic efforts in response to the test, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters, without elaborating. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a statement that he ordered his ministers to "strengthen cooperation with the United States, South Korea, China and Russia" over possible fresh sanctions imposed by the United Nations against Pyongyang. North Korea confirmed it had "successfully" carried out an underground nuclear test, drawing immediate condemnation from South Korea, Japan, the United States and UN leader Ban Ki-moon.(AFP) BOD 02121602 NNNN