India not to abandon ties with North Korea, says Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi, Oct 25: India on Wednesday rejected suggestions that it would stop all bilateral relations with North Korea but at the same time maintained that "at least one US friendly nation" be allowed to continue to run their embassy there. "India has already reduced trade with North Korea but during interaction I told US Secretary of State (Rex Tillerson) that the US would need at least one friendly country to keep its embassy there," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told a media conference answering a question from a visiting US journalist -- who is accompanying Mr Tillerson. She was interacting with media in the presence of US Secretary of State after an hour-long meeting with him. Ms Swaraj was asked to comment on US administration's appeal to countries around the world to cut diplomatic and trade ties with North Korea especially in the context that currency flows have helped in financing North Korea's nuclear weapons. The journalist also referred to India's export of petroleum products to North Korea that is "critical to North Korea's military". In her response, Ms Swaraj said, "I told Secretary Tillerson, few US-friendly nations should continue their embassies there, so that the channel of communication remains". "Many a time, you will require to hold talks and resolve issues....Therefore, at least one embassy should be there whom you call your friendly country," Ms Swaraj said adding, "I feel, he has understood my views that we have reduced trade and also that size of the embassy is small.....but India should continue with its embassy there". UNI