N Korea blames US ‘nuclear blackmail’ for rising tensions

North Korea has blamed US “nuclear blackmail” for the surging tensions over its military program during talks with a senior UN official, but agreed to remain in regular contact with the world body.

The United Nations Undersecretary-general for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman on Saturday wrapped up a five-day tour of the country. He held talks with senior officials in a bid to soothe the tensions, which soared over Pyongyang’s test-launch of a new ballistic missile capable of striking the US mainland in response to US-South Korea joint war games.

“At these meetings, our side said the US policy of hostility toward the DPRK (North Korea) and its nuclear blackmail are to blame for the current tense situation on the Korean peninsula,” said a report by the North’s stated news agency, KCNA.

During the first visit to the country by a senior UN official since 2010, Feltman met with North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and Vice Foreign Minister Pak Myong-kuk, the report noted, adding that Pyongyang had agreed with the UN “to regularize communications through visits at various levels.”

The report did not mention any meetings with leader Kim Jong-un.

North Korea also stated earlier in the day that Feltman had expressed willingness to ease tensions in the Korean Peninsula.

PressTV-UN envoy willing to ease tensions: North Korea

North Korea says the UN envoy has expressed willingness to defuse tensions in the Korean Peninsula.

“The United Nations expressed concerns over the heightened situation on the Korean Peninsula and expressed willingness to work on easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula in accordance with the UN Charter which is based on international peace and security,” KCNA quoted an unnamed foreign ministry spokesman as saying on Saturday.

The visit by the senior UN official also came after the US and South Korea started their latest joint aerial military drills, described as their largest-ever war games in the Korean peninsula.

Pyongyang further reiterated its concerns on Saturday that such military maneuvers were a provocative move, insisting that the drills had revealed their “intention to mount a surprise nuclear pre-emptive strike against the DPRK.”

This is while the UN Security Council has slapped the impoverished country with a package of sanctions over its increasingly powerful missile and nuclear tests, which have upset Washington and its regional allies South Korea and Japan.

Feltman departed from Pyongyang and flew earlier on Saturday to the Chinese capital of Beijing -- a key North Korea ally which has repeatedly called for a halt of US-led war games in the area.

N Korea slams Trump’s al-Quds move

In another development, the North Korean Foreign Ministry also blasted US President Donald Trump on Saturday for recognizing Jerusalem al-Quds as the “capital” of the Israeli regime, renewing its description of him as a “dotard” in a statement released its official media.

“Considering the fact that the mentally deranged dotard openly called for a total destruction of a sovereign state at the UN, this action is not so surprising,” the KCNA reported quoting a Foreign Ministry spokesman.

“But this move clearly shows to the whole world who is the destroyer of world peace and security, pariah and rogue in the international community,” it added.

Trump’s Wednesday decision for the US to recognize al-Quds as Israel’s “capital” and relocate Washington’s embassy from Tel Aviv triggered widespread anger across the Muslim world, and drew expressions of concern and disapproval from US allies.

According to the latest KCNA statement, the North “strongly condemns” the US move, and expressed “firm support and solidarity for Palestinians and Arab peoples struggling to win their legitimate rights.”

“The US will be held accountable for all consequences from this reckless, wicked act,” it further added.

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