NEW YORK: United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on the world community on Friday to drastically increase pressure on North Korea, warning that failure to do so could be “catastrophic” and that the US is prepared to take military action against the rogue regime if necessary.
“All options for responding to future provocations must remain on the table,” Tillerson said. “Diplomatic and financial leverage or power will be backed up by willingness to counteract North Korean aggression with military action, if necessary.”
Tillerson, speaking at a special US-hosted UN meeting to address the challenge, called on member countries to take three immediate steps, singling out China and warning that countries that don’t comply may face consequences. He got pushback in response from China, which accused the US of raising tensions with Pyongyang.
He urged nations to fully enforce existing sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, suspend or downgrade diplomatic relations with the already isolated country and increase its financial isolation by targeting countries and individuals that support its nuclear and ballistic missile program.
The US “would much prefer countries and people in question to own up to their lapses and correct their behavior themselves,” Tillerson said, referring to nations that haven’t fully enforced sanctions in the past. “But we will not hesitate to sanction third country entities and individuals supporting the DPRK’s illegal activities.”
“For too long the international community has been reactive,” Tillerson said, telling the Security Council that the era of “strategic patience” is over. “The more we bide our time, the sooner we will run out of it.”
The UN meeting was meant to intensify pressure on the isolated country and convey in no uncertain terms that Washington expects other countries to help. In making his call for countries to isolate North Korea diplomatically, Tillerson said that “in light of recent actions, normal relations with the DPRK are simply not acceptable.”
He called on countries to sever “trade relationships that directly fund the DPRK’s nuclear and missile program” and pointed specifically to China: “With China accounting for 90% of North Korean trade, China alone has economic leverage over Pyongyang that is unique.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi responded by calling on all parties to address two urgent tasks. “First cooling down (the) temperature in the peninsula as quickly as possible … China strongly urges all parties to remain calm and exercise restraint and avoid provocative rhetoric or action that would lead to miscalculation.”
Wang argued that North Korea wasn’t the only guilty party and charged that the US and South Korea were contributing to tensions by staging the military drills. He issued a “demand” that they stop conducting them.
Tillerson said that the US would “much prefer a diplomatic solution to this problem” and stressed that Washington was not interested in regime change or destabilizing the region. But he made clear the US will act if necessary.
“We must prefer a negotiated solution to this problem, but we are committed to defending ourselves and our allies against North Korean aggression,” he said.
The US has also moved an aircraft carrier strike group into the region, docked a powerful nuclear submarine in South Korea and staged large military drills with South Korea and Japan.
Several speakers at the UN pressed for de-escalation. Annika Soder, deputy foreign minister of Sweden, which represents US diplomatic interests in North Korea, said, “it’s important for this council to reflect on how tensions can be reduced.”
Ethiopian Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu urged deliberation “to ensure that matters do not get out of hand by accident” and warned against “a slide into war from which no one would benefit.”
The UN meeting comes a day after Tillerson told NPR that the US is willing to engage in talks with North Korea, even as President Donald Trump warned about the possibility of armed conflict with the nuclear-armed regime.
Tillerson told NPR Thursday that the US would be willing to negotiate with Pyongyang. But he told the Security Council Friday that North Korea must first abide by UN resolutions before that happens.
“We will not reward their bad behavior with talks,” Tillerson said at the close of the meeting. “We will only engage in talks with North Korea when they exhibit a good-faith commitment to abiding by the Security Council resolutions and their past promises to end their nuclear programs.”
