THE US AT THE ARF

US TAKES HARD LINE ON NORTH KOREA, SOUTH CHINA SEA

Matthew Lee

Associated Press, July 23, 2011 

BALI, Indonesia (AP) — Tentative steps by North and South Korea to repair relations are not enough to warrant renewed multination nuclear disarmament talks, the U.S. said Saturday at an Asian security conference where it also took a tough line on resolving tensions in the South China Sea.

Declaring the United States a "resident power" with vital strategic interests throughout the Asia-Pacific, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said North Korea must do more to improve ties with the South before Washington will consider resuming talks aimed at getting Pyongyang to abandon nuclear weapons in return for concessions.

In addition, Clinton laid out specific guidelines for the peaceful settlement of competing territorial claims in the South China Sea, saying recent threats and flare-ups are endangering the security that has driven the region's economic growth and prosperity.

The ASEAN Regional Forum that brought together 27 nations from the U.S., Asia and Europe opened with a buzz early Saturday, with South Korea's foreign minister, Kim Sung-hwan, and the North's Pak Ui Chun chatting and walking casually into the conference hall together.

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