U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned North Korea on Tuesday that the provocative regime will face stronger sanctions and international isolation if it "chooses the path of confrontation."
Kerry made his remarks in Sydney after the annual "two plus two" talks with Australia. Also attending the Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultation were U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Defense Minister David Johnston.
The top American diplomat said the meeting "covered a range of very important issues in the Asia-Pacific region, including our commitment to the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
"The United States -- I want to make this clear -- is absolutely prepared to improve relations with North Korea if North Korea will honor its international obligations," Kerry said at a joint news conference, according to the State Department. "But make no mistake. We are also prepared to increase pressure, including through strong sanctions and further isolation, if North Korea chooses the path of confrontation."
In a joint communique, the U.S. and Australia underscored their "serious concern" that North Korea's behavior has undermined the stability of the entire region and called on it to cease its threats and provocations and comply with its international commitments and obligations, including abandoning its nuclear, missile and proliferation activities.
They also expressed deep concern for the welfare of the North Korean people and called on Pyongyang to implement the UN Commission of Inquiry's recommendations for ending its ongoing systematic, widespread, and extreme violations of human rights. They said that those responsible must be held to account.
The two countries also agreed to intensify their collaboration with South Korea to promote stability on the Korean Peninsula through expanded trilateral security and defense cooperation and by working together in bodies such as the U.N. Security Council.
North Korea has long posed threats to regional peace and security with its nuclear and missile programs. Pyongyang has defied international calls for giving up its weapons programs, saying it needs a deterrent against what it calls U.S. nuclear threats.
The six-party talks aimed at making the North free of nuclear weapons have been stalled since late 2008.
In recent months, the communist nation has also fired a number of rockets, missiles and artillery rounds. Some of the launches violated U.N. Security Council resolutions banning Pyongyang from any ballistic activity over concern it could be used to develop nuclear missiles. (Yonhap)
Kerry made his remarks in Sydney after the annual "two plus two" talks with Australia. Also attending the Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultation were U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Defense Minister David Johnston.
The top American diplomat said the meeting "covered a range of very important issues in the Asia-Pacific region, including our commitment to the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
"The United States -- I want to make this clear -- is absolutely prepared to improve relations with North Korea if North Korea will honor its international obligations," Kerry said at a joint news conference, according to the State Department. "But make no mistake. We are also prepared to increase pressure, including through strong sanctions and further isolation, if North Korea chooses the path of confrontation."
In a joint communique, the U.S. and Australia underscored their "serious concern" that North Korea's behavior has undermined the stability of the entire region and called on it to cease its threats and provocations and comply with its international commitments and obligations, including abandoning its nuclear, missile and proliferation activities.
They also expressed deep concern for the welfare of the North Korean people and called on Pyongyang to implement the UN Commission of Inquiry's recommendations for ending its ongoing systematic, widespread, and extreme violations of human rights. They said that those responsible must be held to account.
The two countries also agreed to intensify their collaboration with South Korea to promote stability on the Korean Peninsula through expanded trilateral security and defense cooperation and by working together in bodies such as the U.N. Security Council.
North Korea has long posed threats to regional peace and security with its nuclear and missile programs. Pyongyang has defied international calls for giving up its weapons programs, saying it needs a deterrent against what it calls U.S. nuclear threats.
The six-party talks aimed at making the North free of nuclear weapons have been stalled since late 2008.
In recent months, the communist nation has also fired a number of rockets, missiles and artillery rounds. Some of the launches violated U.N. Security Council resolutions banning Pyongyang from any ballistic activity over concern it could be used to develop nuclear missiles. (Yonhap)
