Tokyo, July 8 : Visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday said North Korea had reaffirmed its commitment to denuclearization during his recent trip to Pyongyang.
At a joint press conference here with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts, Taro Koko and Kang Kyung-wha,Pompeo described his talks in North Korea as "very productive" and these were in "good-faith", adding that Pyongyang had agreed to the destruction of a missile facility, reports Efe news.
He also said the sanctions against the regime would remain in place until it has completely dismantled its nuclear weapons program.
"While we are encouraged by the progress of these talks, progress alone does not justify relaxing the sanctions regime," Pompeo said, adding that the road ahead would be difficult and challenging.
Pompeo downplayed criticism by the North Korean foreign minister Gen. Kim Yong-chol, who on Saturday called Washington's attitude during the negotiations "regrettable" and "gangster-like" and the outcome of the talks "very concerning" in a statement issued hours after the top American diplomat's departure.
He said Pyongyang understood that the regime's denuclearization must be complete and verified.
Kim is considered an important figure of North Korean intelligence and was a key player in paving the way for the historic summit in Singapore between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump.
Pompeo also reiterated the US' commitment to defending its allies, including South Korea and Japan, and said that Sunday's trilateral meeting, the third in less than a month, served to strengthen cooperation to ensure the implementation of the agreements signed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump at a summit in Singapore last month.
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Bareilly (UP), Nov 24: Three people died when their car fell into the Ramganga river from a partially constructed bridge here on Sunday, police said, adding that they suspect the driver was misled by its navigation system into taking the unsafe route.
The accident occurred around 10 am on the Khalpur-Dataganj road when the victims were travelling from Bareilly to Dataganj in the Badaun district, they said.
"Earlier this year, floods had caused the front portion of the bridge to collapse into the river, but this change had not been updated in the system," Circle Officer Ashutosh Shivam said.
The driver was using a navigation system and did not realise that the bridge was unsafe, driving the car off the damaged section, the police said.
There were no safety barriers or warning signs on the approach to the damaged bridge, leading to the fatal accident, Shivam said.
Upon receiving information, police teams from Faridpur, Bareilly and Dataganj police station rushed to the spot. They recovered the vehicle and the bodies from the river, Shivam added.
The circle officer said that bodies had been sent for post-mortem. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
— Bareilly Police (@bareillypolice) November 24, 2024