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WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed Thursday the US commitments to defend South Korea and Japan amid continuing threats from North Korea.
"I want to underscore the commitments the United States has and intends always to honor for the defense of South Korea and Japan," Clinton said. "That is part of our alliance commitment that we take very seriously."
Speaking during a visit by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, Clinton said the United States still hoped North Korea would return to multiparty nuclear disarmament talks.
North Korea said Wednesday it was abandoning the truce that ended the Korean war and warned it could launch a military attack on South Korea.
The North's anger was provoked by the South's decision to join a US-led international Proliferation Security Initiative, established after the September 11 attacks to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
The PSI, which now groups 95 nations, provides for stopping vessels to ensure they are not carrying weapons of mass destruction or the components to make them. The South announced it was joining on Tuesday.
- AFP /ls
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