The US President Donald trump said Thursday that he does not exclude military conflict with North Korea, despite the fact that his Secretary of state seems to leave the door open for negotiations.

"There is a possibility that we may have a serious conflict with North Korea," said trump in an interview with Reuters, because of the constant opposition of nuclear and rocket programs of Pyongyang. He said he would prefer, however, to avoid conflict and to peacefully achieve a "non-nuclear" North Korea.

"We would like to solve issues diplomatically, but it's very difficult," said trump. Secretary Rex Tillerson, in an interview on NPR, said that direct talks with Pyongyang is "the way we would like to solve this problem." But he warned that North Korea "needs to decide what they are willing to talk to us about the proper agenda", and it will not include the suspension of their nuclear program at its current level for several years, and then resume events."

Tillerson will preside at a special meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday to discuss North Korea, 2 days after the briefing in the Senate about the threats and possible actions. An expert on North Korea at the Lowy Institute in Australia Euan Graham said that the message from Washington is "everywhere."

Joint statement on Wednesday, Tillerson, defense Minister James Mattis and the Director of national intelligence don Cote, said that the administration's approach aims to up pressure on North Korea by "the tightening of economic sanctions and diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners".

Nick Beasley, expert on international relations at the University of La Trobe, said that Washington is trying to "send a signal of strength and resolve in Pyongyang, at the same time opening the door for negotiations and discussions".

Given the confusing messages from Washington, John Delory, an expert on Sino-Korean relations at Seoul's Yonsei University, said that remains to be seen whether the administration trump more active than its predecessors, to conduct diplomatic negotiations.

This week China and Russia insisted on a broader dialogue on the issue of North Korea, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin called for the resumption of six-party talks. Negotiations between the US, North Korea, South Korea, China, Russia and Japan - were designed to prevent operation of nuclear Korean Peninsula, but they failed in 2009, and numerous attempts to restart them had failed.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday that China's thinking about North Korea comply with "the relevant proposals of Russia" and praised the "comprehensive strategic partnership" countries.
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