Kerry Rules Out ‘Artificial Talks’ With North Korea

Demands North Korea Unilaterally Move Toward Denuclearization

Just one day after insisting that the US was open to diplomacy and it was only North Korea keeping the row going, Secretary of State John Kerry has ruled out a new round of talks with the nation, saying it would be “artificial.”

Kerry insisted the US would no long “continue this charade” and insisted that the entire situation was up to North Korea to stabilize through unilateral actions, demanding that they move unconditionally toward denuclearization.

Tensions have been rising dramatically over the past several weeks, and even if the situation doesn’t lead to any clashes the US seems reluctant to see anything resembling a rapprochement.

North Korean officials don’t seem to see the prospect of talks promising either way, insisting that the US demands prove that there is no “good faith” to hold such talks among US officials.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.