ID :
208699
Wed, 09/21/2011 - 19:52
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/208699
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Obama warns N. Korea of more "pressure, isolation" (UPDATE)
NEW YORK, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Barack Obama warned Wednesday that North Korea will face "greater pressure and isolation" should it continue nuclear weapons development and hostile actions against South Korea.
"North Korea has yet to take concrete steps towards abandoning its weapons, and continues belligerent action against the South," Obama said, addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
He stressed, "If they continue down a path that is outside international law, they must be met with greater pressure and isolation. That is what our commitment to peace and security demands."
Obama, however, said North Koreans will see greater opportunity if their government abides by international rules and obligations.
Obama's comments on the peninsula came as top nuclear envoys from the two Koreas had another round of "denuclearization talks" in Beijing, which many view as a prelude to additional meetings between Pyongyang and Washington.
The president renewed his call for joint efforts towards a world without nuclear weapons.
He expressed hope that the second Nuclear Security Summit to be held in Seoul in March will "advance our efforts to lock down all of them."
"America will continue to work for a ban on the testing of nuclear weapons, and the production of fissile material needed to make them," he added. "As we meet our obligations, we have strengthened the treaties and institutions that help stop the spread of these weapons. To do so, we must continue to hold accountable those nations that flout them."
Obama put Iran on par with North Korea as a defiant country.
In his U.N. speech, closely watched for his latest view on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he admitted that there was "no short cut" to Middle East peace.
The Palestinians are pushing for statehood recognition at the Security Council.
Obama requested the resumption first of peace talks between the two sides.
"Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians who must live side by side. Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians -- not us -- who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them: on borders and security; on refugees and Jerusalem."
"North Korea has yet to take concrete steps towards abandoning its weapons, and continues belligerent action against the South," Obama said, addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
He stressed, "If they continue down a path that is outside international law, they must be met with greater pressure and isolation. That is what our commitment to peace and security demands."
Obama, however, said North Koreans will see greater opportunity if their government abides by international rules and obligations.
Obama's comments on the peninsula came as top nuclear envoys from the two Koreas had another round of "denuclearization talks" in Beijing, which many view as a prelude to additional meetings between Pyongyang and Washington.
The president renewed his call for joint efforts towards a world without nuclear weapons.
He expressed hope that the second Nuclear Security Summit to be held in Seoul in March will "advance our efforts to lock down all of them."
"America will continue to work for a ban on the testing of nuclear weapons, and the production of fissile material needed to make them," he added. "As we meet our obligations, we have strengthened the treaties and institutions that help stop the spread of these weapons. To do so, we must continue to hold accountable those nations that flout them."
Obama put Iran on par with North Korea as a defiant country.
In his U.N. speech, closely watched for his latest view on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he admitted that there was "no short cut" to Middle East peace.
The Palestinians are pushing for statehood recognition at the Security Council.
Obama requested the resumption first of peace talks between the two sides.
"Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians who must live side by side. Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians -- not us -- who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them: on borders and security; on refugees and Jerusalem."
