The United States is in direct contact with North Korea, Tillerson says
The United States is in direct communication with the government of North Korea, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Saturday in Beijing. "We are probing, so stay tuned," Tillerson said in response to a question about possible negotiations with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un. "We ask, 'Would you like to talk?' We have lines of communications to Pyongyang — we're not in a dark situation, a blackout," he continued. "We have a couple, three channels open to Pyongyang."
Tillerson clarified that this outreach has occurred "directly," not via Chinese mediation, and that the talks are in very early stages. Washington asks "'what do you want to talk about?' — because we haven't even got that far yet," he explained, cautioning against unrealistic expectations of a quick resolution: "This is going to be a process of engagement with North Korea" with many steps.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
