US asks China to press N.Korea

The United States on Saturday asked China to use its influence on North Korea to prevent a new “provocation,” saying that Pyongyang must mend ties with the South if it wants to move ahead.

During first-of-a-kind talks between the Pacific powers on Asia-related issues, senior US official Kurt Campbell said he shared views with China on North Korea, which counts on Beijing as its primary source of support.

“We’ve again asked for China to take critical steps to urge North Korea to reach out and to deal responsibly and appropriately with South Korea and to refrain from any further provocations,” Campbell told reporters after the talks in Hawaii.

North Korea and China have appealed for a resumption of six-nation talks on ending Pyongyang’s nuclear program, but the United States has said that it first wants Kim Jong-Il’s regime to commit clearly to previous agreements and to lower tension with US-allied South Korea.

AFP