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U.S. Point Man on N.Korea Pledges to Work with Seoul
Kurt Campbell, the nominee for the position of assistant secretary of state for East Asian affairs, on Wednesday vowed to focus on cooperation with South Korea and Japan in dealing with North Korea. In his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Campbell said cooperation among allies is the key to dealing with North Korea's "direct and reckless challenge" to the world, and to send a clear message that three countries are working together, he would work on improving diplomatic and defense measures against the North.

Campbell made the remarks apparently mindful of continued provocations by North Korea in the future. The U.S. is not contemplating military attacks against North Korea, but if provocations continue, it is reportedly thinking of bolstering U.S. forces around the Korean Peninsula.

Campbell said it was also important to approach the North Korea issue from international level, providing counter-proliferation support to South Korea and Japan. He said China's support for a new UN Security Council resolution on North Korea is a big step forward. In a statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Campbell said, "If confirmed, I would use close bilateral and trilateral coordination with Tokyo and Seoul to make clear that neither the United States nor its allies will accept a nuclear North Korea."
Posted by: Steve White 2009-06-12
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=271772