Washington:
India and the US on Tuesday strongly condemned North Korea’s “continued provocations” and said that those who support Pyongyang’s “destabilising” nuclear and missile programmes should be held accountable.
In a joint statement issued after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump, the two leaders said that North Korea’s “destabilising pursuit” of nuclear and ballistic missile programmes posed a “grave threat” to regional security and global peace.
The leaders strongly condemned “continued provocations” by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the statement said amid growing tensions between Washington and Pyongyang over the North’s nuclear ambitions.
Modi and Trump also called on Pyongyang to strictly abide by its international obligations and commitments.
“The leaders pledged to work together to counter the DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction programmes, including by holding accountable all parties that support these programmes.
Earlier, in his remarks during the joint press appearance at the White House Rose Garden, President Trump thanked India for joining hands with the US in applying new sanctions against the North Korean regime.
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“The North Korean regime is causing tremendous problems and is something that has to be dealt with, and probably dealt with rapidly,” Trump asserted.
Notwithstanding international condemnation and sanctions, North Korea has a small nuclear arsenal and is developing nuclear-capable ballistic missiles that threaten neighbouring Japan and South Korea.
Pyongyang is also threatening to build missiles that it says one day could even hit some US cities.
China is seen as North Korea’s main ally and the US hopes Beijing can have greater influence on the totalitarian state to stop both its missile tests and nuclear programme.
President Trump has previously said he would like to solve the North Korea crisis diplomatically, but has previously warned that a “major, major conflict” is possible.
