U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley has accused North Korea of cancelling Thursdays talks between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean official because they were not ready.
Haley, however, said on Thursday that a meeting between the two nations leaders is still on for after Jan. 1.
I dont think there was some major issue for the postponement.
I have talked with the administration and basically what were looking at is they postponed it because they werent ready, she said.
Pompeo was supposed to meet with Kim Yong Chol in New York on Thursday to discuss the Norths commitment to eliminating its nuclear weapons and arrangements for a second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
I do think the talks are going to be rescheduled.
And it doesnt change the fact that that summit is still scheduled for the president and Kim to meet after the first of the year, Haley said of the Pompeo-Kim Yong Chol meeting.
Haley spoke to reporters ahead of U.N. Security Council closed consultations called by Russia to discuss exemptions from U.N. sanctions on North Korea.
We have given a lot of carrots up until now, she said, pointing to the Kim-Trump summit in Singapore and follow-up meetings as well as stopping military exercises.
While there havent been any nuclear or ballistic missile tests by North Korea, Haley said its government hasnt allowed inspectors into its nuclear and missile facilities.
Were not going to get rid of the stick because they havent done anything to warrant getting rid of the sanctions yet, she said.
Haley accused Russia of trying to earn brownie points with North Korea and I think they are also just trying to go ahead and talk about lifting sanctions because theyre already cheating.
She accused Russia of bringing in North Korean laborers and providing Pyongyang with refined petroleum, in violation of U.N. sanctions. And she added: We know theyve been doing some things with the financial aspect of it.
As she left the closed council meeting, Haley said humanitarian exemptions were discussed.
She said earlier that the U.S. goal is to make sure aid goes to people in need, not the regime, so it is investigating technical aspects of a number of requests to make sure aid is not re-routed.
So were going to take our time to do that, she said.
But Haley said Russias real aim came out at the end of the council consultations.
What theyre looking for is to lift banking restrictions, which are exactly some of the things we know theyre not following through on appropriately.
So now we know what their agenda is. We know exactly why theyre trying to do it. Were not going to let it happen, Haley said.
Source: NAN