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Pool/ABACA

'Major, major conflict with North Korea' possible, Trump says

He said he’d prefer to resolve the stand-off peacefully, but that military action wasn’t being taken off the table.

Updated at 8.30am 

DONALD TRUMP HAS said the US could end up in a “major, major” conflict with North Korea, following weeks of heightening tensions with the isolated Asian state.

“There is a chance that we could end up having a major, major conflict with North Korea. Absolutely,” the US President said in an interview with Reuters. 

He said he’d prefer to resolve the stand-off peacefully, but that military action wasn’t being taken off the table.

Trump also praised Chinese President Xi Jinping for efforts to restrain Pyongyang.

And when asked about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and whether he believed him to be rational, Trump said:

He’s 27 years old. His father dies, took over a regime. So say what you want but that is not easy, especially at that age.
I’m not giving him credit or not giving him credit, I’m just saying that’s a very hard thing to do. As to whether or not he’s rational, I have no opinion on it. I hope he’s rational.

Security Council 

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will chair a UN Security Council meeting later today to push for a tougher response to North Korea and pile pressure on China to rein in its ally.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the meeting, which follows weeks of warnings from Washington that it will no longer tolerate North Korea’s missile launches and nuclear tests.

“We are going to be discussing what steps may be necessary to increase pressure on Pyongyang to have them reconsider their current posture,” Tillerson said in an interview with Fox News.

Turning to China, Tillerson said:

“We are going to test their willingness to help us address the serious threat.

We were told by the Chinese that they informed the regime that if they did conduct further nuclear tests China would be taking sanctions actions on their own.

No resolutions will be adopted at the meeting, but it will allow the United States and its allies to put the onus on China to use its leverage to rein in Pyongyang.

North Korea is seeking to develop a long-range missile capable of hitting the US mainland with a nuclear warhead, and has so far staged five atomic tests, two of them last year.

- With reporting from AFP 

Read: UK marine who was jailed for killing injured Taliban fighter is freed >

Read: Politicians attacked after Macedonia’s parliament stormed by 100 protesters >

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66 Comments
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    Mute Janet Coyle
    Favourite Janet Coyle
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    Aug 16th 2015, 2:37 PM

    God Rest Him and Condolences to his family and friends it must be so hard for them when it’s so far away x

    697
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    Mute Carmel Roselli- O'Keeffe
    Favourite Carmel Roselli- O'Keeffe
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    Aug 16th 2015, 10:03 PM

    Govan was an amazing talented footballer and chess-player from Portmarnock. The nicest and most humble family you could meet. Thoughts with his family-how terribly tragic and unfair. RIP

    373
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    Mute Jim Kearney
    Favourite Jim Kearney
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    Aug 17th 2015, 9:20 AM

    Heard he was 1 in a Million. it’s always the good 1s.

    109
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    Mute Cupid Stunt
    Favourite Cupid Stunt
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    Aug 16th 2015, 4:33 PM

    poor guy, dying miles away from home,I hope his family get any help they need to get him back.

    289
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    Mute fuve
    Favourite fuve
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    Aug 16th 2015, 6:24 PM

    Highly doubtful they will get any support at all. My little brother died in Australia suddenly and not one person gave my family any support from Ireland or Australia. The only helpful ones were the gardai from blessington station proper gents. They had to tell my mam. Irish embassy no help police in Australia proper gents and also helped her. She couldn’t fly over either because was the week of the volcano eruption in Iceland
    Airlines helped so much to trying to get her on flight. Cost my mam thousands to get my brother flown home. Not one Irish politician got in contact to offer assistance or condolences. Rest in peace poor lad deepest condolences to his family x

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    Mute John Payne
    Favourite John Payne
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    Aug 16th 2015, 9:22 PM

    Doesn’t surprise me in the slightest to be honest. By stating they are providing assistance, what they generally mean is that they have directed the relatives or concerned person towards the nearest embassy that Ireland has an agreement with, and that is as good as useless, from experience.

    Fact is, our passport is great when you travel, but shite when you need the government’s help (certain, well-known, exceptions noted). The U.S. Passport, and holder, while targeted in many places, is assured assistance throughout the world, albeit at a cost of paying taxes wherever you work….

    108
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    Mute Janet Coyle
    Favourite Janet Coyle
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    Aug 16th 2015, 8:58 PM

    Sorry to hear about your brother and shocking to hear the very little assistance you got at such a tragic and hard time x

    205
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    Mute fuve
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    Aug 16th 2015, 10:50 PM

    Thanks Janet x if wasn’t for the decency of police on both sides and tireless efforts in helping our family I dread to think what would have happened. I hope this family get the assistance they need.

    156
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    Mute Diana Moynihan
    Favourite Diana Moynihan
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    Aug 18th 2015, 7:59 AM

    Every parent’s worst nightmare, hope they find comfort in the fact that he was so happy travelling. It’s heartbreaking that he won’t get to tell them all about his adventure. Rest in Peace, sounds like you were one amazing guy

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