Australia, Japan to pressure North Korea

Foreign Minister Marise Payne says its important to keep sanctions on North Korea after meeting with her Japanese counterpart.

Australia and Japan are reaffirming their commitment to pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Christopher Pyne met with Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya in Sydney on Wednesday.

Senator Payne said Australia and Japan were committed to working closely with allies and partners to ensure North Korean is pressured to end its nuclear weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.

"We need to see real steps to complete, verifiable irreversible denuclearisation of the peninsula," Senator Payne told reporters.

Senator Payne and her Japanese counterpart Mr Kono had discussed sanctions enforcement with the United State at last month's UN General Assembly in New York.

Mr Iwaya says the dismantling of all North Korea's weapons of mass destruction is possible.

"The international community must remain united to achieve that," he said through a translator.

Senator Payne said while Australia has a strong engagement with Japan, there is always more that can be done in the current dynamic strategic environment.

"We participate within the international rules, in institutions responsibly and constructively together," she said.

"The depth of the relationship grows ever more significant."


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Published 10 October 2018 3:58pm
Source: AAP


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