US dismisses resurgence of 6-party talks for N Korea

The US does not prefer the resurgence of the six-party talks for North Korea's denuclearisation, according to its National Security Adviser John Bolton.

This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that the talks, which collapsed in 2009, be reinstated to overcome the roadblock in denuclearisation negotiations between the United States and North Korea, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Bolton made the comment during an interview with Fox News when asked whether US President Donald Trump would accept the Russian President's approval.

"I think it's not just what our preference is...I think Kim Jong-un, at least up until now, has wanted the one-on-one contact with the United States, which is what he has gotten," Bolton said.

In a first, the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently held a meeting with Putin in the Russian city of Vladivostok. The meeting was held amidst the prevailing deadlock in negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang.

It is largely being perceived as a push from the North Korean side in securing sanctions relief from other major powers after the United States refused to do so during the second US-North Korea meeting held in Hanoi, Vietnam in February this year.

The six-party talks consisted of both North and South Korea, the United States, Japan, China and Russia.

Bolton highlighted that the United States has kept all stakeholders in the loop regarding their talks with North Korea.

"That doesn't mean we don't consult, as the President just did on Friday very closely with Prime Minister Abe of Japan...We consult with the Russians, the Chinese, obviously the South Koreans. President Moon Jae-in was here just a few weeks ago," the American official said.

Bolton also outlined Trump's interest in holding a third summit with Kim, despite the breakdown of the Hanoi summit.

"(Trump) feels pretty strongly about it. He said repeatedly he thinks he has a good relationship with Kim Jong-un," he said.

However, he outlined that Russia and China "could tighten" up the enforcement of sanctions against the reclusive state.

"Well, I think both Russia and China could tighten up their enforcement of the sanctions. I think they've been pretty good about it in recent months, but I think they could always tighten up. That would help keep the pressure on North Korea, which, after all, is what brought them to negotiate with President Trump, to begin with," Bolton said.