A series of meetings last week among the foreign ministers of the United States, Japan, South Korea and China were significant for helping the four nations confirm their mutual cooperation in implementing sanctions against North Korea following its first nuclear-weapons test Oct. 9.
As North Korea's nuclear weapons program poses a threat to peace and stability in this region, the four nations appear to be dealing with North Korea in a resolute and unified manner. Their meetings bore a clear message to Pyongyang that further provocation will lead to a further tightening of sanctions.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing agreed on the need for close cooperation to prevent a second nuclear test by the North and called on that country to return unconditionally to the six-party talks -- involving the United States, China, Japan, Russia and the two Koreas -- on the North's nuclear weapons program.