U.S.,Japan pledge to push for implementation of UN resolution on DPRK

Washington and Tokyo will work together for "swift and effective" implementation of a recently-adopted UN Security Council resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday.

"The United States has no desire to escalate this crisis," Rice told a joint news conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso after their meeting, which was focused on the Korean Peninsula's nuclear issue.

Noting Washington would like to see the DPRK nuclear issue deescalate, Rice also said the U.S. government will honor its commitment to the defense of Japan.

For his part, Aso said Japan and the United States will urge the DPRK to unconditionally return to the stalled six-party talks on its nuclear development.

The Japanese minister also said both Rice and he called on other countries concerned to help implement the resolution.

Rice, whose ongoing trip was seen as part of the U.S. diplomatic efforts to solve the DPRK nuclear issue, is scheduled to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday before she heads for China and South Korea.

The UN Security Council on Saturday unanimously adopted the resolution imposing sanctions against the DPRK for its Oct. 9 nuclear test.

The six-party talks which involve China, the DPRK, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States, have been stalled since last November.

Source: Xinhua