- Title: Countering North Korean threat is Trump's 'top priority' - envoy
- Date: 22nd August 2017
- Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (AUGUST 22, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF UNITED NATIONS BUILDING U.N. FLAG UNITED NATIONS-SPONSORED CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT UNDERWAY VARIOUS OF AMBASSADORS U.S. DISARMAMENT AMBASSADOR ROBERT WOOD (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. DISARMAMENT AMBASSADOR, ROBERT WOOD, SAYING: "North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs pose grave threats to the entire world. North Korea openly states these ballistic missiles are intended to strike cities in the United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan. Its recent ICBM tests are another example of a dangerous and reckless behaviour of the North that is destabilising the region and beyond." NORTH KOREAN DIPLOMAT, JU YONG CHOL, LISTENING AMBASSADORS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. DISARMAMENT AMBASSADOR, ROBERT WOOD, SAYING: "While the path to dialogue still remains an option, the United States remains undeterred in defending against the threat North Korea poses. My president's top priority remains in protecting the homeland, U.S. territories and our allies against North Korean aggression. We remain prepared to use the full range of capabilities at our disposal against the growing threat from North Korea." AMBASSADOR AND DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOUTH KOREA, KIM INCHUL, LISTENING CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. DISARMAMENT AMBASSADOR, ROBERT WOOD, SAYING: "We call on all nations to use any available channel and means of influence to make clear to the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) and its neighbours that further provocations are unacceptable. We also call on all nations to take steps to show there are consequences to North Korea's escalations. North Korea has a choice- take a new path towards peace, prosperity and international acceptance or continue further down the path of belligerence, poverty and isolation." VARIOUS OF AMBASSADORS UNITED NATIONS BUILDING GARDENS
- Embargoed: 5th September 2017 12:12
- Keywords: North Korean threat Kim Jong-Un disarmament ballistic missile nuclear weapons Trump
- Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,International/National Security
- Reuters ID: LVA0016V8O8CN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: President Donald Trump's top priority is to protect the United States and its allies against the "growing threat" from North Korea, and America is ready to use "the full range of capabilities at our disposal," a U.S. envoy said on Tuesday (August 22).
U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood told the United Nations-sponsored Conference on Disarmament that the "path to dialogue still remains an option" for Pyongyang, but that Washington remained "undeterred in defending against the threat North Korea poses".
Fears have grown over North Korea's development of missiles and nuclear weapons since Pyongyang launched intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in July. Those fears worsened after Trump warned North Korea would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States.
Trump's remarks led North Korea to say it was considering plans to fire missiles towards the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. Trump responded by tweeting that the U.S. military was "locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely".
A few days later, North Korean media reported the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, had delayed a decision on whether to fire any missiles towards Guam while he waited to see what the United States would do. Experts warned Pyongyang could still go ahead with the missile launches.
North Korea had openly stated that its missiles are intended to strike cities in the United States and its allies South Korea and Japan, Wood said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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