Obama: North Korea's isolation means less leverage in talks
March 25, 2018 01:32 AM
Updated 8 minutes ago
TOKYO
Former President Barack Obama said Sunday that negotiations with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program are difficult, partly because the country's isolation minimizes possible leverage, such as trade and travel sanctions against Pyongyang.
"North Korea is an example of a country that is so far out of the international norms and so disconnected with the rest of the world," Obama told a packed hall in Tokyo Sunday.
He stressed the effort to get North Korea to give up nuclear weapons remains difficult, but countries working together, including China as well as South Korea and Japan, to combine pressure on North Korea will be better than nations working alone.
He noted that past U.S. efforts on Iran's nuclear weapons were more successful because there was more leverage, but there's little commerce and travel with North Korea to being with.
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Former U.S. President Barack Obama, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pose for photographers, in front of a Japanese Sushi restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district, Sunday, March 25, 2018. Obama says negotiations with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program are difficult, partly because the country's isolation minimizes possible leverage, such as trade and travel sanctions against Pyongyang. Former U.S. President Barack Obama, left, is greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in front of a Japanese Sushi restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district, Sunday, March 25, 2018. Obama says negotiations with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program are difficult, partly because the country's isolation minimizes possible leverage, such as trade and travel sanctions against Pyongyang. Former U.S. President Barack Obama waves as he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pose for photographers arrives at a Japanese Sushi restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district, Sunday, March 25, 2018. Obama says negotiations with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program are difficult, partly because the country's isolation minimizes possible leverage, such as trade and travel sanctions against Pyongyang. Former U.S. President Barack Obama, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pose for photographers in front of Kyubey, a Japanese sushi restaurant, at Ginza shopping district In Tokyo Sunday, March 25, 2018. Obama said Sunday that negotiations with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program are difficult, partly because the country's isolation minimizes possible leverage, such as trade and travel sanctions against Pyongyang. At right is the restaurant's chef Yosuke Imada. Former U.S. President Barack Obama, left, is greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on their arrival at a Japanese Sushi restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district, Sunday, March 25, 2018. Obama says negotiations with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program are difficult, partly because the country's isolation minimizes possible leverage, such as trade and travel sanctions against Pyongyang. Former U.S. President Barack Obama, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pose for photographers, in front of a Japanese Sushi restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district, Sunday, March 25, 2018. Obama says negotiations with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program are difficult, partly because the country's isolation minimizes possible leverage, such as trade and travel sanctions against Pyongyang. Former U.S. President Barack Obama, left, is greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in front of a Japanese Sushi restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district, Sunday, March 25, 2018. Obama says negotiations with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program are difficult, partly because the country's isolation minimizes possible leverage, such as trade and travel sanctions against Pyongyang.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama, left, is greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in front of a Japanese Sushi restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district, Sunday, March 25, 2018. Obama says negotiations with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program are difficult, partly because the country's isolation minimizes possible leverage, such as trade and travel sanctions against Pyongyang. Shizuo Kambayashi, Pool AP Photo
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