The only way for North Korea to achieve security and development is to abandon all of its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, said Yleem Poblete, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

“North Korea must understand that the only way to achieve the security and development that it seeks is to abandon all of its weapons of mass destruction, all of its ballistic missile programs as numerous U.N. Security Council resolutions demand,” said the senior US arms control official.

Poblete, addressing the United Nations-sponsored Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, also urged countries to halt any weapons or military cooperation with North Korea.

North Korea is considering suspending talks with the United States and may rethink a freeze on missile and nuclear tests unless Washington makes concessions, a senior Pyongyang diplomat said last week, according to news reports from Pyongyang.