SEOUL, South Korea: Americas top diplomat on Thursday pressed China to use its tremendous influence to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear program, calling it a source of instability and danger.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke at the end of security talks in Seoul, hours after North Korea said it will ignore a U.S. offer to resume negotiations because of its hostile policy.
The talks, which also involved Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean officials, came as President Joe Biden is pushing to restore Americas alliances in Asia in the face of growing challenges from China and North Korea.
Beijing has an interest, a clear self-interest in helping to pursue denuclearization of (North Korea) because it is a source of instability. It is a source of danger and obviously a threat to us and our partners, Blinken told a news conference.
He said Beijing has a critical role to play to persuade North Korea to denuclearize because most of the Norths external trade goes through China. Blinken stressed that China is obligated by U.N. Security Council resolutions to fully enforce sanctions imposed over North Koreas banned nuclear and missile tests.
Earlier Thursday, Choe Son Hui, North Koreas first vice foreign minister, confirmed Blinkens previous announcement that Washington had reached out to Pyongyang through several channels starting in mid-February, but it hasnt received any response.
Choe called the U.S. outreach a time-delaying trick and said North Korea would keep discarding similar offers for talks unless Washington withdraws its hostility. What has been heard from the U.S. since the emergence of the new regime is only a lunatic theory of threat from North Korea and groundless rhetoric about complete denuclearization, she said.
Asked about Choes statement, Blinken said he was aware but said hes more interested in the comments and thoughts of U.S. allies and partners while he was making a regional tour.
U.S.-led diplomacy focusing on North Koreas nuclear weapons remains stalemated for about two years because of disputes over U.S.-led sanctions. Experts are debating whether the United States and its allies should settle for a deal that would freeze North Koreas nuclear activities in return for relaxing sanctions to prevent its arsenal from growing.
Earlier this week, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened to abandon rapprochement with South Korea and warned the United States to refrain from causing a stink, while criticizing regular U.S.-South Korean military drills that her government views as an invasion rehearsal.
Some experts say North Korea, which is eager to win sanctions relief, may further raise animosities with missile tests to boost its leverage in any negotiations with the United States. North Koreas moribund economy is under additional pressure because of the pandemic-related border closure that has significantly shrunk its external trade and a spate of natural disasters last summer.
After the so-called two plus two talks, Blinken, Austin and their South Korean counterparts said in a joint statement that North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile issues are a priority for the alliance and reaffirmed a shared commitment to address those issues. Both Bliken and Austin said the allies remain committed to North Korea’s denuclearization.
Blinken and Austin are on the first overseas trip by Cabinet-level officials since Biden took office in January. They visited Japan before coming to Seoul.
Blinken said Thursdays talks discussed China’s role, and “we are clear eyed about Beijings consistent failure to uphold its commitments.
And we spoke about how Beijings aggressive and authoritarian behavior are challenging the stability and security prosperity of the Pacific region, he said. Beijings actions make forging a common approach among our allies all the more important at a time when were seeing a rollback of democracy and human rights around the world, including in Burma.
Blinken will meet senior Chinese officials in Anchorage, Alaska, on his way back to Washington, while Austin will travel on to New Delhi for talks with Indian officials.
Chinas ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, said that Beijing doesnt expect the Alaska talks will resolve all the issues between China and the U.S. and we dont hold overly high hopes. Cu still added that he hoped the meeting would be a start and that the two sides can begin a dialogue process that is candid, constructive and realistic.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here
Comments
0 comment