White House: Not right time for DPRK talks

WASHINGTON - No negotiations can be held with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea until it improves its behavior, a White House official said on Wednesday, raising questions about US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's offer to begin talks with Pyongyang any time and without preconditions.

"Given North Korea's most recent missile test, clearly right now is not the time," a White House official said.

Tillerson said on Tuesday the United States was "ready to talk any time North Korea would like to talk", appearing to back away from a key US demand that Pyongyang must first accept that any negotiations would have to be about giving up its nuclear arsenal.

The White House has declined to say whether President Donald Trump, who has taken a tougher rhetorical line against the DPRK than Tillerson, gave approval for the overture.

A day after Tillerson's comments, the White House official, who declined to be named, laid out a more restrictive formula for any diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang.

"The administration is united in insisting that any negotiations with North Korea must wait until Pyongyang fundamentally improves its behavior," the official said.

Tillerson's overture came nearly two weeks after the DPRK said it had successfully tested a breakthrough intercontinental ballistic missile that put the entire US mainland within range.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China welcomed efforts to ease tension and promote dialogue to resolve the standoff.

"We hope the US and the DPRK will meet each other halfway and take a significant step to engage in dialogue and contact," he said.

Russia also welcomed Tillerson's statement, the Interfax news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

Reuters - Xinhua

(China Daily 12/15/2017 page12)