North Korea has option to enter into negotiations: John Kerry

Washington: Categorically ruling out the possibility of accepting North Korea as a nuclear power, the United States said that Pyongyang has the peaceful option to enter into negotiations for the denuclearisation.

"They have an option, and that option is to enter into negotiations for the denuclearisation, which is China`s policy also, and to begin to focus on the needs of their people, which we also have made it clear we are prepared to help them with if they will bring their behavior in line with the United Nations and global community requirements," US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters yesterday. North Korea needs to make it clear that they are prepared to have a serious discussion about denuclearisation, Kerry said at a joint press availability with the visiting South Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se. "We are prepared to enter into a dialogue negotiation if they are serious, if they will stop the provocations and engage in a serious discussion. We have always said that we would like to try to resolve the problems of the entire peninsula. That means making peace. "But making peace does not involve having a nuclear north and a disadvantaged Republic of Korea to the south. So they know very well what the terms are here," Kerry said. "Situation on the Korean Peninsula or tension is getting higher on the Korean Peninsula, and is critically important for the US and South Korea to enhance its defense capabilities. "If North Korea decides to give up its nuclear ambitions and to become a member of the international community, we are prepared to resume our talks in terms of putting in place a peace process on the Korean Peninsula," Yun said in response to a question. Kerry said if the North Koreans restart its plutonium reactor and increase production of nuclear weapons material, as announced earlier in the day, would be in direct violation of their international obligations. "So that in itself would be a breach of international standard and requirement, it would be a provocative act and completely contrary to the road that we have traveled all of these years from the Agreed Framework forward. So we`ll have to wait and see what happens with respect to that, but it is a direct violation of their international obligations and would be a very serious step," he said. Kerry said the new North Korea leader, Kim Jong-un has chooses a path which is provocative, dangerous and reckless. PTI