Donald Trump: Talking to North Korea 'not the answer'

Donald Trump has said talking to North Korea is "not
the answer", after the Pyongyang regime flew a
ballistic missile over US ally Japan.
"The US has been talking to North Korea, and paying
them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the
answer!" Mr Trump tweeted.
The US President's comments follow his declaration
that "all options are on the table" after the North
Korean missile flew over the Japanese island of
Hokkaido.
The test was considered to be one of the most
provocative ever from the reclusive state, and came
as US and South Korean forces conduct annual
military exercises on the peninsula.
Mr Trump's comments appeared to be contradicted
by defence secretary Jim Mattis later in the day.
Hokkaido is in the north of Japan
When asked by reporters just hours later if the
United States was out of diplomatic solutions, Mr
Mattis replied: "No. We are never out of diplomatic
solutions."
North Korea's missile test took place a day before
British Prime Minister Theresa May visited Japan.
She called on China to "do everything it can" to put
more pressure on North Korea to stop "illegal" and
"outrageous" missile tests.
Speaking to journalists on the flight, Mrs May said:
"The actions of North Korea, of DPRK, are illegal.
They are significant actions of provocation.
"I think it's outrageous. That's why we will be
working with our international partners - as we have
done previously but we will be doubling our efforts
with our international partners to put pressure on
North Korea to stop these illegal activities."
:: UK shoulder to shoulder' with Japan over N Korea
threat
Kim Jong Un celebrates the latest missile test
Pic: KCNA
:: North Korea threat: What does Kim Jong Un really
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On Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman
Hua Chunying reiterated Beijing's call for peace talks.
She said "pressure and sanctions" against North
Korea "cannot fundamentally solve the issue".
"On the one hand, sanctions have continued to be
put in place via resolutions, and on the other hand
North Korea's nuclear and missile launch process is
still continuing," she said.
Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for China's foreign
ministry, speaks at a news conference
Earlier this month, North Korea reportedly made a
miniaturised nuclear warhead that could fit inside
one of its intercontinental ballistic missiles.
It prompted Mr Trump to issue a warning of "fire and
fury" on the North, while Pyongyang threatened to
fire missiles towards the US territory of Guam.
Any missile fired towards Guam would have to fly
over Japan and analysts said Tuesday's test
presented a major challenge to Tokyo and
Washington.
"Pyongyang has demonstrated that its threats to the
U.S. base on Guam are not a bluff," said Konstantin
Kosachev on Tuesday, chairman of Russia's upper
house of parliament's international affairs committee.

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