(MENAFN- Saudi Press Agency)
Washington, Rabi'I 25, 1439, December 13, 2017, SPA -- The United States is ready to speak with North
Korea without preconditions, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said
Tuesday, according to dpa.
"We are ready to talk any time North Korea would like to talk," Tillerson said, speaking at the Atlantic Council, a think tank in Washington. "And we are ready to have the first meeting without preconditions. Let's just meet." Tillerson said the subject of the talks did not matter. It could even be about the shape of the table as long as the two sides "at least sit down and see each other face to face," he said. Negotiators could then begin to lay out a road map of what the US and North Korea might be willing to work towards.
Tillerson said he did not think it would be realistic to say ahead of any talks that the US would participate only if North Korea comes to the table ready to give up their programme.
"They have too much invested in it. And the president is very realistic about that as well," he said. "So it is really about how do you begin the process of engagement." Tillerson was the keynote speaker at the Atlantic Council's forum on re-imagining the US-Korea partnership.
But he said North Korea must understand that "respect will never follow recklessness." It also must take concrete steps to reduce the threat that its programme poses to the US and its allies before talks could be considered.
--SPA
03:43 LOCAL TIME 00:43 GMT
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