Australia sticking by allies

AUSTRALIA: The Australian government has hit back at North Korea, saying it won’t be cowed by the rogue state’s threats.

The Pyongyang regime has criticised Australia’s ‘‘dangerous moves’’ in its support for the US in its ‘‘frenzied political and military provocations ‘‘against North Korea.

‘‘Should Australia continue to follow the US in imposing military, economic and diplomatic pressure upon the DPRK despite our repeated warnings, they will not be able to avoid a disaster,’’ state-run news agency KCNA warned in a statement on Saturday.

The statement came after a visit to South Korea last week by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Defence Minister Marise Payne during which they met their counterparts and stressed the need to thwart North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

‘‘We will not be cowed by the North Koreans,’’ Defence Personnel Minister Dan Tehan told Sky

News yesterday.

‘‘We will continue to do everything we can to protect and help and support our allies.’’

He said North Korea should obey all the UN security council resolutions which have been passed condemning their missile activity and attempts to develop a nuclear weapon.

‘‘If they do that then the rest of the international community will look to work with them,’’ Tehan said.

‘‘If they don’t, we will continue to support our allies, the South Koreans, the Japanese and everyone else who is threatened by this unpalatable behaviour by the North Koreans.’’