US abruptly puts off North Korea talks

washington — US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday abruptly shelved plans to meet a top North Korean official in New York, the latest twist in diplomatic attempts to secure a potentially landmark peace deal.

The talks between President Donald Trump’s top diplomat and the North Korean delegation, which had been due on Thursday, “will now take place at a later date,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

“We will reconvene when our respective schedules permit,” she added in a statement.

State Department officials gave no further reasons for the delay to the meeting, although North Korea has stepped up its demands that the United States lift sanctions.

The State Department had just one day earlier confirmed that Pompeo would meet in New York with Kim Yong Chol — one of the North Korean leader’s right-hand men — to discuss progress toward a denuclearisation pact and to work to arrange a second summit following historic talks between Trump and Kim in June.

Despite warm words from Trump since meeting Kim in Singapore, his administration has insisted on maintaining pressure on Pyongyang until a final agreement is reached.

North Korea said last week that it would “seriously” consider returning to a state policy aimed at building nuclear weapons unless Washington lifts sanctions.

“The improvement of relations and sanctions are incompatible,” said a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.

“What remains to be done is the US corresponding reply,” it added.