US ties de-nuclearisation to North Korea talks

International Desk: The US has responded cautiously to the possibility of talks with North Korea, saying it would first see whether Pyongyang puts de-nuclearisation on the table.

The comments came after a North Korean envoy signalled that the regime was ready to engage in dialogue with the US in what would be a significant diplomatic breakthrough.

Throughout last year, tensions on the peninsula looked set to tip over into conflict as Washington and Pyongyang faced off over the regime’s development and testing of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.

However, the threat of war has receded since the new year as the two Koreas bonded over the Winter Olympic Games, which concluded with a closing ceremony in the South’s Pyeongchang county on Sunday.

South Korea President Moon Jae-in has used the global sporting spectacle to engage with Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s leader, in the hope that reduced tension can lead to negotiations over the North’s weapons programmes.

The approach was met with scepticism in Seoul and Washington. But hopes for diplomacy were boosted on Sunday when Kim Yong Chol, a North Korean delegate to the games, expressed an openness to talks.

“The North Korean delegation agreed that North Korea-US relations must develop along with the South-North Korea relationship, while noting [Pyongyang] has enough intention to hold North Korea-US dialogue,” said a spokesman for South Korea’s presidential Blue House.

While the comments are a positive sign for those worried about the prospect of war on the peninsula, critics questioned Pyongyang’s sincerity.

The regime has a long history of diplomatic mind games and may be playing for time as it completes its intercontinental ballistic missile programme.

The White House expressed caution, saying: “We will see if Pyongyang’s message today, that it is willing to hold talks, represents the first steps along the path to denuclearisation.

“In the meantime, the United States and the world must continue to make clear that North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes are a dead end,” the White House added.

Under President Donald Trump, the US has adopted a “maximum pressure” strategy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation in a bid to coerce Pyongyang to de-nuclearise — an approach that has infuriated the regime.

Only hours before the talks overture, North Korean state media lambasted Mr Trump for pursuing tougher sanctions on the regime.

Washington was “running amok to bring another dark cloud of confrontation and war over the Korean peninsula by announcing enormous sanctions against” North Korea, the official KCNA news agency said.

For its part, Washington has also sent mixed signals about talks. Before the opening ceremony of the Olympics, Mike Pence, US vice-president, said North Korea’s de-nuclearisation must be on the table before dialogue with the US could commence.

Days later he appeared to reverse course, saying there were no preconditions for talks.

The US has also been wary of moves towards inter-Korean reconciliation, which Washington fears might drive a wedge into its longstanding alliance with Seoul.

Mr Moon, however, has moved carefully and has yet to accept an offer from Mr Kim to visit Pyongyang for an inter-Korean summit.

The South Korean leader has instead reiterated that US-North Korea dialogue must run in parallel to inter-Korean reconciliation.

Ivanka Trump, Mr Trump’s daughter and a senior White House adviser, led the US delegation to the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics, where she met Mr Moon and reaffirmed the two nations’ long-standing alliance.

However, she did not appear to engage with Kim Yong Chol, the head of North Korea’s delegation, who sat behind her during the event.

Agencies


risingbd/Dhaka/Feb 26, 2018/Nasim