Tillerson says ‘too early’ for direct US talks with North Korea, contradicting VP Pence
Statement came a day after vice-president was quoted as saying Washington was open to talks with Pyongyang
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Monday it was “too early” to discuss direct negotiations with North Korea, after Vice-President Mike Pence said the US was open to talks.
Pence was quoted in The Washington Post on Sunday as saying the US and South Korea had agreed terms for future diplomatic engagement with North Korea.
He said the United States and its allies would impose “steep and escalating costs” on Pyongyang until it takes “clear steps toward denuclearisation”.
But he said the White House was willing to “sit down and talk with the regime while that pressure campaign is ongoing”.
“If you want to talk, we’ll talk,” the paper quoted him as saying.
Asked about the article during a visit to Egypt, Tillerson said: “I think it’s too early to judge.”