3rd LD Writethru: Tillerson signals diplomatic talks with DPRK, seemingly lacking Trump endorsement

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that Washington is willing to talk with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) "without precondition," a rhetoric seemingly not fully supported by U.S. President Donald Trump.

"We're ready to have the first meeting without precondition," Tillerson made the remarks at a policy forum at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, signaling a new diplomatic opening for dialogue with Pyongyang.

"Let's just meet," the top U.S. diplomat told an audience of around 300 on Tuesday afternoon. "We can talk about the weather if you want. We can talk about whether it's going to be a square table or a round table."

However, responding to Tillerson's remarks which differed from the harsh tone that has long been held by the Trump administration, the White House said there was no policy change on the DPRK.

"The President's views on North Korea (the DPRK) have not changed," said the White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in a statement released hours after Tillerson's speech.

Accusing Pyongyang of acting "in an unsafe way," Sanders said its actions "are not good for anyone."

It was not the first time that Trump and Tillerson found themselves not on the same track over the Korean Peninsula issue.

Trump undercut his secretary of state two months ago, when the latter was trying to reach out to Pyongyang to start a dialogue.

"Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!" Trump tweeted in October.

Tuesday's remarks showed Tillerson's latest effort of seeking a peaceful solution amid escalating tension on the peninsula since the DPRK sped up on its nuclear program development this year.

"Can we at least sit down and see each other face to face, and then we can begin to lay out a map, a road map, of what we might be willing to work towards," Tillerson said at the forum, suggesting some initial contacts to set the ground rules for further negotiations.

Tillerson noted the dialogue is possible whenever Pyongyang is ready.

Tillerson's remarks came two weeks after the DPRK successfully test-fired a newly developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, drawing strong condemnation from the international community.

Washington and Pyongyang has been exchanging harsh rhetoric in the past months, with Trump threatening to rain down "fire and fury" and "totally destroy" the country.

Before Tillerson's speech, the United States has insisted that negotiations should be based on the DPRK's nuclear disarmament. Enditem