N. Korea sought peace treaty: U.S.
• The White House said Monday that North Korea sought to discuss a peace treaty but bailed after the U. S. insisted that denuclearization be part of the discussions.
Spokesman Josh Earnest said the U. S. considered a proposal from the North Korea, which has l ong sought a peace treaty with Washington. The 1950- 53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, and the U. S. retains 28,500 t r oops in South Korea as a deterrent against the North.
The diplomatic discussions took place prior to North Korea’s recent nuclear test and rocket launch, which have further strained relations on the peninsula.
Congress has since passed and President Barack Obama has signed additional sanctions on North Korea. The U. S., China and others are also considering UN sanctions.
“There was interest expressed by the North Koreans in discussing a peace treaty,” Earnest told a news conference.
“We considered their proposal, but also made clear that denuclearization had to be part of any discussions. The truth is that the North Koreans rejected that response.”
“Those discussions were entirely consistent with the longstanding policy that the Obama administration has put forward,” Earnest said.
The U. S. previously has e x pressed openness to peace talks but said that Pyongyang would first have to abandon its nuclear program.
Talks on the nuclear issue haven’t gotten anywhere for years. International aid- fordisarmament negotiations that were hosted by China have been s t alled si nce 2008.
North Korea’s Jan. 6 nuclear test and Feb. 7 rocket l aunch will be discussed when Secretary of State John Kerry meets Tuesday with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Washington.
INTEREST EXPRESSED BY THE NORTH KOREANS IN ... A TREATY.