US again downplays informal talks with NK
The United States again downplayed last week's talks between North Korean diplomats and former US nuclear negotiators as "private" and "unofficial" discussions, urging Pyongyang to demonstrate denuclearization commitments so as to reopen the long-stalled nuclear negotiations.
"There's no US government involvement here. This is done by private citizens and typically they discuss a range of issues. But the United States government isn't sponsoring them. There's no government involvement in it," State Department spokesman John Kirby said at a regular briefing Monday.
Kirby was referring to the two days of meetings held in Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur last week between North Korean diplomats, including Vice Foreign Minister Han Song-ryol, and former nuclear negotiators Robert Gallucci and Joseph DeTrani.
The rare meetings drew keen attention as they could signal Pyongyang's willingness to reopen the long-stalled negotiations with the US amid heightened tensions in the wake of its fifth nuclear test and a series of missile launches.
The talks have also raised concern they could undermine international efforts to tighten sanctions on Pyongyang by giving an impression of flexibility on the part of the North. Both South Korea and the US have downplayed the talks as "Track 2" discussions unrelated to government.
"The Track 2 stuff is unofficial. It's private citizens and they talk about a range of issues. And as I said, they do this independent of any US government involvement," Kirby said.
He said the US is open to talks with the North, but said Pyongyang should prove it's serious about denuclearization.
"We remain open to dialogue with the DPRK with the aim of returning to credible and authentic negotiations about the denuclearization of the peninsula. But as we've also said, the onus is on the North to prove that they're able, willing and ready to join in those discussions through the six-party process, and they have not," he said. (Yonhap)
- 最近发表
-
- “大体老师”的故事:以生命点亮生命
- 第9号台风“苏拉”来袭!主要农作物及时做好应对措施
- 平安人寿青岛分公司:爱心公益活动践行“7.8”保险扶贫精神
- 广东四大名鹅“飞”进酒楼!白切鹅、烧鹅成为广东鹅进餐饮企业品牌营销推广活动最受欢迎菜式
- A Global Tour of Bakeries With Fascinating Histories
- 第9号台风“苏拉”来袭!主要农作物及时做好应对措施
- 平安人寿青岛分公司金管家健康服务提升客户体验
- 李云迪助阵 招行第六届“金葵花”少儿钢琴大赛冠军诞生
- Tesla's big software update includes something called 'Night Curfew'
- 瞄准未来“独角兽” 招行重磅发布第三款APP
- 随机阅读
-
- Spaceship tech slashes energy usage of existing AC systems
- 交通银行青岛市南二支行:贴心服务,精彩你我
- 招行南京路支行零币兑换获赞誉
- 雨城区法院召开审判质效工作推进会
- Europe now has a huge AI gap, for better or for worse
- 闈掑矝鑱旈€氬尃蹇冪綉缁滀繚闅滃暏閰掕妭涓讳細鍦洪€氫俊鐣呴€歘涓浗灞变笢缃慱闈掑矝
- 创造五项“中国首次” 44年来再获月球样品
- 让二十四节气“活”起来
- 9 Festive Holiday Treats and Where to Find Them
- 提高英语教学水平 提升教师专业素养
- 全省位居前列:三水连续2年共获4个水产品国字号品牌
- 民建鼎湖支部赴广西昭平调研“我在广西有个园”结对建设点
- Pope says England are not 'one
- 提高英语教学水平 提升教师专业素养
- 微信支付接入 12306半年“涨粉”至三千六百万
- 广东唯一!清远一企业入选生猪屠宰标准化建设示范单位
- 22 Unusual Things You Can Find in the Desert
- 肺小结节不等同于肺癌
- 青岛海关全国率先实现价格归类原产地预裁定全覆盖
- “扶贫健步走”点亮保险公众宣传日
- 搜索
-
- 友情链接
-