Page 11 - ATD 27MAY2017

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WORLD NEWS Saturday 27 May 2017

US diplomat: China tightened border controls with N. Korea

its fellow communist neigh- nation denuclearization
bor, Thornton said. talks that have been on
“They’ve said that they ice since 2009, saying the
have stepped up border parties should “be flexible,
inspections, beefed up sort meet each other halfway,
of the policing function on and return to the negotiat-
the border, stepped up ing table as soon as pos-
customs inspections,” she sible.”
said. Beijing has also done Thornton said the U.S., Chi-
“a number of other things na and others were also in
on companies” that have talks on a future U.N. resolu-
dealings with North Korea, tion on North Korea in order
Thornton said, without giv- to cut the time needed to
ing details. take action following an-
The U.S. has been talking to other nuclear or missile test.
Beijing about taking action “So we’re looking at try-
against specific firms and is ing to get going on the
waiting to see what sort of next set of major measures
action China will take, she that would be taken in the
said. wake of another provoca-
China has signed on to U.N. tion,” Thornton said. Such
sanctions and suspended measures could include
A North Korean soldier looks through a pair of binoculars as he stands at a guard tower on the coal imports from North Ko- ratcheting up economic
border near Chongsu in North Korea’s North Pyongan Province, as seen from across the border in rea through the rest of the pressure on the North by
Dandong in northeastern China’s Liaoning Province. The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia said Friday,
May 26, 2017, that Chinese officials have told Washington they have tightened border controls year, but has been gener- targeting trade in consum-
with North Korea as part of U.N. sanctions aimed at halting Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile ac- ally reticent about what er goods, possibly including
tivities. other steps it may be tak- textiles, she said.
(Chinatopix via AP) ing to use its leverage as Despite Lu’s comments lat-
By CHRIS BODEEN growing awareness about Jinping last month. Pyongyang’s most impor- er in the day, Thornton said
Associated Press the urgent need for China Touching on other areas of tant trading and diplomat- Beijing officials now realize
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese to pressure North Korea into the relationship, Thornton ic partner. more pressure is needed
officials have told the U.S. halting its testing of missiles said the new administra- Asked about Thornton’s before dialogue can be re-
that they’ve tightened and nuclear bombs, Acting tion has not changed its remarks, Chinese foreign stored.
inspections and polic- Assistant Secretary of State commitment to greater en- ministry spokesman Lu “And so they know now
ing along the border with Susan Thornton told re- gagement with countries in Kang said China remained that they don’t have, I
North Korea as part of U.N. porters in Beijing. President the Asia-Pacific region or its committed to “strictly think, as much time to try to
sanctions aimed at halting Donald Trump’s administra- approach to naval opera- implementing” U.N. sanc- bring the North Koreans to
Pyongyang’s nuclear and tion has made a renewed tions in the disputed South tions but offered no details the table, get their calcu-
missile activities, the top push to enlist Beijing’s help China Sea. or what other measures it lus changed and get them
U.S. diplomat for East Asia in those efforts following a On North Korea, the U.S. might be taking. to the negotiating table as
said Friday. meeting between Trump has seen a “shift in empha- Lu also reiterated China’s they may have previously
Beijing’s action reflects a and Chinese President Xi sis” in China’s approach to call for a renewal of six- thought,” she said.q

South Korea OKs civilian contact with North Korea over malaria

By HYUNG-JIN KIM start stalled civilian aid and “While the new govern- agnostic reagent kits and in 2012, but 7,010 cases in
Associated Press exchange programs as a ment maintains a stance of mosquito repellants and 2015.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — way to improve strained firmly responding to North nets. Group officials said The presence of malaria in
South Korea will allow a civ- ties with the rival North. Korean provocations like they last sent anti-malaria North Korea’s southern re-
ic group to contact North Moon’s conservative pre- missile launches, it’s also supplies to North Korea in gions also poses a health
Korea over help in fighting decessor, Park Geun-hye, clear that the current sev- 2011. Despite the lack of problem for South Kore-
malaria, the first govern- hadn’t endorsed any ci- erance in ties between the South Korean assistance, ans as malaria-carrying
ment approval on cross- vilian contacts since the South and North isn’t ideal North Korea has in recent mosquitoes fly southward
border civilian exchanges North’s fourth nuclear test. for stabilizing the situation years reported declining across the countries’ heav-
since North Korea’s fourth Seoul’s Unification Ministry in the Korean Peninsula,” cases of malaria largely ily fortified border.
nuclear test in January said the Seoul-based Ko- ministry spokeswoman Lee thanks to anti-malaria aid Since taking office earlier in
2016, officials said Friday. rean Sharing Movement Eugene said. programs by international May, Moon’s government
The announcement is a would be allowed to com- The civic group said it will organizations. According has said it will flexibly evalu-
sign that the liberal govern- municate with North Korea contact North Korea via to World Health Organiza- ate expanding civilian ex-
ment led by new President to discuss how to deal with email to try to provide North tion records, North Korea change with North Korea.
Moon Jae-in is trying to re- malaria in North Korea. Korea with insecticides, di- had 21,850 malaria cases q