US for 'strong response' against isolated NKorea

As the US strives to galvanise the international community for a "unified and strong response" to the nuclear test and series of missile launches by North Korea, it warned Pyongyang that its actions were increasingly "isolating" it.

As the US strives to galvanise the international community for a "unified and strong response" to the nuclear test and series of missile launches by North Korea, it warned Pyongyang on Wednesday that its actions were increasingly "isolating" it.

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"Because the actions that they're undertaking, as we've said countless times, in the past many weeks, are simply steps that further isolate them from the world," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs during his daily press briefing.

"... The administration and I think, all our allies involved in the talks, believe that it's important for North Korea to take necessary steps, to live up to responsibilities and agreements that it entered into; that coming back to the table, to have productive talks, are important," Gibbs said.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York that there are ongoing "productive discussions" with nations to bring a "strong resolution" against the North.

"We are having very good and productive discussions. These discussions continue. I think we are making progress, and I am hopeful that in due course we will be producing a very worthy and strong resolution," Rice said.

The Deputy Secretary of State, James Steinberg said the US is working to find a common ground between nations on the steps to adopt a new resolution and on ways to follow it up.