Mattis says US-North Korea diplomacy is at delicate stage

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says the diplomatic push to solve the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis is at such a delicate stage that he won't publicly discuss the talks or related issues such as U.S.-South Korean military exercises.

He's referring to the announcement that President Donald Trump has agreed to meet North Korea's Kim Jong Un (kim jawng oon) by May.

Mattis tells reporters traveling with him to the Middle East that there's a high potential for misunderstanding public remarks about issues linked to the diplomatic maneuvering.

The Pentagon chief won't discuss the timing and scale of annual U.S.-South Korean military maneuvers that were postponed during the recent Winter Olympics in South Korea. Those exercises are expected to be held in April, but no official announcement has been made.