US, Japan, South Korea urge meaningful denuclearisation

Washington: The US, Japan and South Korea Wednesday called for “meaningful” steps on denuclearisation by Pyongyang in exchange for better ties with them, Xinhua reported. After their envoys concluded a trilateral meeting here on issues related to North Korea, the three countries said: “We agreed a path is open for the DPRK (North Korea) toward improved relations with the United States, Japan and the ROK (South Korea) if the DPRK takes meaningful steps on denuclearisation.” [caption id=“attachment_889013” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  AFP image[/caption] “We reaffirmed our commitment to the Sep. 19, 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks, including its core goal of the verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner,” the US State Department said in a statement. “We will judge the DPRK by its actions, not its words,” the statement said. On Sunday, North Korea’s National Defence Commission proposed high- level talks with the US without preconditions “to defuse tension and realise regional peace and security on the Korean Peninsula”. Washington has responded by insisting on “credible” steps toward concrete denuclearisation by North Korea.