VOA常速英语:U.S. - Japan, ROK Trilateral Meeting

"The cooperative effort between the U.S., Japan, and the Republic of Korea, has made a difference, not only with respect to the North Korean provocations, but it has sent a strong signal about the strength of our alliance," U.S.Secretary of State John Kerry said recently before his meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se in Brunei.

In their meeting, the three ministers reviewed progress on trilateral cooperation and discussed ways to further enhance coordination based on common values and interests in promoting peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific and beyond.

Regarding North Korea, Secretary Kerry stated before his Japanese and Korean counterparts that “We join you in making it absolutely clear that the policy of the United States, together with the Republic of Korea and Japan, is the denuclearization of North Korea.”

The Ministers agreed to intensify efforts to persuade North Korea to take action to honor its commitments under the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks, particularly its core goal of verifiable denuclearization.

The Ministers also stressed the need for North Korea to come into compliance with the UN Security Council resolutions and agreed to strengthen cooperation with the international community to ensure full and transparent implementation of those resolutions.

They expressed their desire for improvement in inter-Korean relations and urged North Korea to take measures to resolve humanitarian issues, including the abductions issue and treatment of refugees returned to North Korea.

The Ministers confirmed that a better path remains open to North Korea and its people, and agreed that improved relations with the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea will be possible if North Korea takes concrete and meaningful steps toward denuclearization.

The Ministers stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation to reinforce regional mechanisms including ASEAN, the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit.

“This [trilateral] relationship . . . is really the foundation of the strategic relationship of this region,” Secretary Kerry said. “It has proven its durability . . . [and] its value.”