New York – There is no reason not to engage in dialogue with North Korea, China’s UN Ambassador, Liu Jieyi, said on Tuesday, two days after Pyongyang’s second missile launch in as many weeks.
Liu said after a closed UN Security Council meeting that every step toward progress in easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula had been achieved through dialogue.
He added that “if you look at the history of the solution of the issues and the efforts for denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula, every progress was achieved as a result of dialogue so there is no reason dialogue can’t take place in the current situation – it takes political will.”
Liu’s remarks are in direct opposition to comments from U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, who has indicated that talks are off the table until North Korea ends its nuclear tests.
UN ambassadors from France, Britain and the U.S. have all indicated that the Security Council intends to toughen up existing sanctions on Pyongyang in reaction to the latest launch – and potentially introduce additional sanctions.