US to be 'tested soon' on nuclear talks with North Korea
时间:2024-09-23 05:17:02 来源:泸州新闻网
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Friday he believes the United States will be "tested soon" on bringing North Korea back to the negotiating table to discuss its nuclear weapons program.
Esper, speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, said the U.S. is trying hard to resume the negotiations because the threat of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs can only be resolved through a diplomatic agreement.
"War on the peninsula would be horrible. Nobody wants to see that," he said at the council, in live online footage. "I think we're going to be tested here soon -- test in the sense of this next stage, trying to get them back to the negotiating table, and hopefully not back on the other path."
Esper made the comments as he recalled the high tensions between Washington and Pyongyang when he took office as secretary of the Army in the fall of 2017, saying, "We were on the path toward conflict, because we were preparing for it."
Tensions between the sides have renewed in recent weeks as North Korea has ramped up pressure on the U.S. to come up with a solution to their stalled negotiations before the end of the year.
The North has strongly suggested it will resume nuclear or long-range missile tests if the U.S. fails to meet that deadline.
N. Korea conducts 'another crucial test' 2019-12-14 23:27 | North Korea
"They already have the nuclear weapons, and now they're trying to develop an (intercontinental ballistic missile), and that becomes a direct threat to our homeland," Esper said, describing North Korea as a "rogue state," along with Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have had three meetings since June 2018 to try to reach a deal, but the negotiations have stalled due to wide gaps over how to match the North's denuclearization steps with U.S. concessions, including sanctions relief and security guarantees.
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun, Washington's point man on negotiations with Pyongyang, will travel to Seoul on Sunday for a three-day visit and meet with South Korean officials to discuss the way forward, according to the South's foreign ministry.
There is speculation Biegun could visit the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom during his stay to meet with the North Koreans.
On the South Korea-U.S. alliance, Esper said he is committed to the relationship but reiterated that it's not too much to ask allies to increase their contribution to shared defense costs.
"There can't be any free riders. There can't be any discount plans," he said. "We're all in this together. If we are going to meet the challenges of our day in terms of great power competition, whether it's Russia, or more importantly, China, we have to work together. We all have to contribute together to make sure that we are prepared, if the worst comes to worst, to defend our way of life."
Washington is reportedly demanding a fivefold increase to nearly US$5 billion in Seoul's contribution to the upkeep of 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea.
The negotiations for the allies' cost-sharing agreement for next year are scheduled to resume for a fifth round in Seoul next week. (Yonhap)
Esper, speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, said the U.S. is trying hard to resume the negotiations because the threat of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs can only be resolved through a diplomatic agreement.
"War on the peninsula would be horrible. Nobody wants to see that," he said at the council, in live online footage. "I think we're going to be tested here soon -- test in the sense of this next stage, trying to get them back to the negotiating table, and hopefully not back on the other path."
Esper made the comments as he recalled the high tensions between Washington and Pyongyang when he took office as secretary of the Army in the fall of 2017, saying, "We were on the path toward conflict, because we were preparing for it."
Tensions between the sides have renewed in recent weeks as North Korea has ramped up pressure on the U.S. to come up with a solution to their stalled negotiations before the end of the year.
The North has strongly suggested it will resume nuclear or long-range missile tests if the U.S. fails to meet that deadline.
N. Korea conducts 'another crucial test' 2019-12-14 23:27 | North Korea
"They already have the nuclear weapons, and now they're trying to develop an (intercontinental ballistic missile), and that becomes a direct threat to our homeland," Esper said, describing North Korea as a "rogue state," along with Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have had three meetings since June 2018 to try to reach a deal, but the negotiations have stalled due to wide gaps over how to match the North's denuclearization steps with U.S. concessions, including sanctions relief and security guarantees.
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun, Washington's point man on negotiations with Pyongyang, will travel to Seoul on Sunday for a three-day visit and meet with South Korean officials to discuss the way forward, according to the South's foreign ministry.
There is speculation Biegun could visit the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom during his stay to meet with the North Koreans.
On the South Korea-U.S. alliance, Esper said he is committed to the relationship but reiterated that it's not too much to ask allies to increase their contribution to shared defense costs.
"There can't be any free riders. There can't be any discount plans," he said. "We're all in this together. If we are going to meet the challenges of our day in terms of great power competition, whether it's Russia, or more importantly, China, we have to work together. We all have to contribute together to make sure that we are prepared, if the worst comes to worst, to defend our way of life."
Washington is reportedly demanding a fivefold increase to nearly US$5 billion in Seoul's contribution to the upkeep of 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea.
The negotiations for the allies' cost-sharing agreement for next year are scheduled to resume for a fifth round in Seoul next week. (Yonhap)
-
Where to preThe Weird, Wonderful World of Water TowersN. Korea's trade with China shrinks 5% onArsenal must do better to win Premier League: ArtetaiPhone 16 Pro new color will reportedly be Desert TitaniumNASA designed a vibrating necklace to help you stop touching your face14 Heists, Robberies, and Other Great Capers[ANALYSIS] What is Seoul aiming for by prioritizing human rights in North Korea?Number Representations in Computer Hardware300+ early Cyber Monday deals: Amazon, Apple, Walmart, more
上一篇:New Grok response directs users to Vote.gov for election questions
下一篇:Sports minister says audits into football, badminton federations set to conclude in Sept.
下一篇:Sports minister says audits into football, badminton federations set to conclude in Sept.
相关内容
- ·Expanded police surveillance will get us “broken windows” on steroids.
- ·Jane Fonda joined TikTok and announced the launch of virtual Fire Drill Friday climate rallies
- ·Best Dyson Airwrap deal: $100 off at Amazon
- ·Learning a second language early might have ripple effects throughout your life
- ·AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4 may get revealed at the Apple September event
- ·Putellas to undergo surgery
- ·Gmail: Google is reportedly adding an AI voice feature
- ·How to watch SpaceX launch its rescheduled crewed mission into space
- ·'Terminator Zero' creators find fresh life in sci
- ·N. Korea slams Japan for continued demand for resolution of abducted Japanese issue
- ·Oscars 2024: The 7 biggest snubs from the Academy Award nominations
- ·Spy agency warns of NK
- ·18 Places for Epic Outdoor Adventure Across Colorado
- ·Oscars 2024: The 7 biggest snubs from the Academy Award nominations
- ·Ten Hag hopes familiar faces can boost Man Utd consistency
- ·Apple shares most popular podcasts and books of 2023
最新内容
- ·What Ever Happened to Flickr?
- ·Putellas to undergo surgery
- ·TikTok could allow 30
- ·Gmail: Google is reportedly adding an AI voice feature
- ·雅安市第四人民医院:工娱治疗让患者康复之路充满希望
- ·20 Places to Eat Dumplings and Noodles for Lunar New Year
- ·Apple shares most popular podcasts and books of 2023
- ·WhatsApp: New AirDrop
- ·U.S. Senators call on FTC to investigate the security of drivers' data
- ·Electric underwater drone with 15
推荐内容
热点内容
- ·Spaceship tech slashes energy usage of existing AC systems
- ·彰显榜样力量 传承红色基因
- ·Jane Fonda joined TikTok and announced the launch of virtual Fire Drill Friday climate rallies
- ·How to remove music from your Spotify taste profile
- ·Yoon touts pension reform drive amid stagnant popularity rating
- ·《长安的荔枝》电视剧官宣,贵妃“钟意”的荔枝又开花了
- ·14 Heists, Robberies, and Other Great Capers
- ·Netflix's 'The Kitchen' review: A powerful, dystopian tale of community
- ·A global problem is preventing the wars in Ukraine and Gaza from coming to an end.
- ·S. Korea publishes hard copies of English report on NK's human rights