Top US official calls for diplomacy in NK tensions
Japan says ‘ pressure’ must be maintained
The head of the US military’s Pacific Command on Tuesday stressed the importance of diplomacy, rather than a preemptive military strike, to address North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile threats.
Tensions rose after the North last month tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles that appeared to bring much of the US within range, with US President Donald Trump warning that Washington could rain “fire and fury” on Pyongyang.
The head of the US military’s Pacific Command said diplomacy was key.
To tackle the North’s menaces, “the most important starting point is the diplomatic starting point,” said Admiral Harry Harris, who is in South Korea to inspect the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises.
The decades- old defence alliance between Seoul and Washington “represents a very strong military back- up to our diplomats who should take the front line,” Harris told reporters at a US air base at Osan, south of Seoul.
Japan said on Tuesday the world must keep pressure on North Korea to rein in its nuclear and missile programs as the US spelt out the choice for impoverished Pyongyang between belligerence and prosperity.
North Korea justifies its weapons programs, including its recent threat to fire missiles toward the US Pacifi c territory of Guam, by pointing to perceived US hostility, such as military exercises with South Korea this week.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said pressure must be maintained until the North demonstrated it would give up its nuclear program.
“It’s not the time to discuss [ the resumption of] Six-Party Talks,” Kono said, referring to international negotiations involving both Koreas, the US, Russia, China and Japan for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
“It’s time to exert pressure,” he told reporters.
President Trump’s top priority is to protect the US and its allies against the “growing threat” from North Korea and the US is ready to use “the full range of capabilities” at its disposal, a US envoy said.
US disarmament Ambassador Robert Wood told a UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament in Geneva the “path to dialogue still remains an option” for North Korea and it had the choice between poverty and belligerence and prosperity and acceptance.