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Friday 17 March 2017
Tillerson tells North Korea not to fear; hints at tougher tack

MAT PENNINGTON rea’s government, not its
JOSH LEDERMAN people.
Associated Press Tillerson’s trip, which will
TOKYO (AP) — U.S. Sec- take him next to South Ko-
retary of State Rex Tiller- rea and China, comes as
son hinted Thursday at a the Trump administration
tougher strategy to con- conducts a broad review
front North Korea’s nuclear of U.S. policy toward North
threat but said Pyongyang Korea. Suggestions by Til-
had no need to fear the lerson and others about a
United States, an alter- new direction have fueled
nately threatening and re- speculation the U.S. may
assuring message that sug- put greater focus on mili-
gested the Trump adminis- tary options, which previ-
tration is still formulating a ous administrations have
clear policy. avoided.
In Japan at the start of a Central to the U.S. re-
three-country Asia tour, Til- view is China and its role
lerson offered no details in any bid to persuade
about what would com- Pyongyang to change
prise the “different ap- course. China remains the
proach” to North Korea the North’s most powerful ally.
U.S. will pursue. He point- While the U.S. and its allies
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrives at the prime minister’s office for meeting with Japanese edly noted that 20 years
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Thursday, March 16, 2017. Tillerson said Thursday cooperation in Seoul and Tokyo implore
with allies Japan and South Korea is “critical” to addressing the threat from North Korea’s nuclear of “diplomatic and other Beijing to press its eco-
and missile programs. efforts” had failed to dis- nomic leverage over North
(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool) suade the isolated com- Korea, the Chinese have
munist government from emphasized their desire to
developing its nuclear pro- relaunch diplomatic talks
gram, which he called an
“ever-escalating threat.” — a non-starter for the U.S.
Speaking alongside Japa- under current conditions.
nese Foreign Minister Fumio The U.S. and China also
Kishida, Tillerson recited the disagree over U.S. deploy-
longstanding U.S. demand ment of a missile defense
that the North “abandon its system to South Korea. The
nuclear and ballistic missile U.S. says it’s a system fo-
programs and refrain from cused on North Korea. Chi-
any further provocation.” na sees it as a threat to its
He said his visit to Asia was own security.
designed to “exchange State Department officials
views on a new approach,” have described Tillerson’s
echoing the comments effort this week as a “lis-
of others in Washington, tening tour” as the admin-
who’ve said President Don- istration seeks a coherent
ald Trump wants to exam- North Korea policy, well-
ine all options — including coordinated with its Asian
military ones — for halting partners.
the North’s weapons pro- Thomas Karako, a senior
grams before it becomes fellow at the Washington-
capable of developing a based Center for Strategic
nuclear-tipped missile that and International Studies,
could reach the U.S. main- said that after so many
land. years of failed diplomacy,
But if Tillerson’s words were it’s inevitable the U.S. would
meant to put Pyongyang consider more aggressive
on notice, he quickly piv- steps like military action.
oted: “North Korea and its “These are the things that
people need not fear the have been have been
United States or their neigh- on the back burner, but
bors in the region who seek they’re kind of what’s left,”
only to live in peace with Karako said. “North Korea
North Korea.” doesn’t have something to
State Department spokes- fear unless they act badly.”
man Mark Toner wouldn’t In Tokyo, Tillerson cited
specify Thursday what el- North Korea’s missile
ements the new U.S. ap- launches this year as evi-
proach would entail. But dence of the worsening
he said Tillerson had sought threat. In a sign of his host’s
to emphasize that the U.S. emphasis on showing U.S.-
prefers a peaceful solu- Japanese resolve, Tillerson
tion and that the U.S. was met with Japanese Prime
taking issue with North Ko- Minister Shinzo Abe.q