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15:34 GMT
NEW YORK, April 28 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday outlined a new strategy and action to counteract the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
At the Security Council today, Tillerson presided over a minister-level meeting encouraging members to signal collective intention to take further significant measures against the DPRK in the future if North Korea continues to violate its international obligations.
The US chief diplomat said the North Korea must understand that respect will never follow recklessness, calling on the UN member states to fully implement the commitments they have made regarding the DPRK.
"We call on countries to suspend or downgrade diplomatic relations with North Korea," he said.
In response to the ongoing violations, the US urged the Council to levy new sanctions on the DPRK entities and individuals supporting its weapons and missile programs.
Therefore, Tillerson said the international community must bring economic pressure by severing trade relationships that indirectly fund DPRK's nuclear and missile program.
The US said all options for responding to future provocations must remain on the table and asked the UNSC 15 members as well as other partners to implement a new strategy to denuclearize North Korea.
The Security Council has repeatedly made clear that the international community will not accept the DPRK as a nuclear state.
However, the Security Council has repeatedly called for the resumption of the Six-Party Talks and has reiterated its support for the commitments set forth in the Joint Statement of September 19, 2005, including that the goal of the Six-Party Talks is the "verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner."
In their concept note calling for the meeting, the US said the DPRK's most recent action makes clear that further international pressure is required for Pyongyang to change its behavior if there is to be any hope for meaningful denuclearization talks to resume. (pickup previous)
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