Since North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un flaunted dozens of medium and long range missiles including rocket canisters big enough to fit inter-continental ballistic missiles that might even hit the US mainland, serious concern is brewing up all over, particularly in the United States. This and many other provocative actions have obviously prompted US Vice-President Mike Pence to warn North Korea during his visit to Japan, saying, "the era of strategic patience is over".Â
Vice-President Mike Pence possibly indicated Six Party talks to resolve the crisis in the Korean peninsula. Â Republican President George W. Bush initiated to form the Six Party talks among the US, Russia, Japan, North, South Korea and China. The talks came to an end in 2008 without any success.Â
In the backdrop of the recent developments, President Trump has emphasised that China needs to play its role to pacify the situation. Â Recently, China had sent back cargo ships carrying coal from North Korea and at the same time snapped its direct flights to Pyongyang. However, China abstained from the recent resolution of the Security Council condemning North Korea for launching missile tests but did not veto the resolution either. China does not want harsh economic sanctions against North Korea.Â
Meantime, US President Donald Trump held an unusual lunch meeting with ambassadors of the member countries of Security Council at the White House on April 23 against the backdrop of severe tension in the Korean Peninsula. The idea of holding the lunch meeting was to urge upon the ambassadors of member countries of Security Council for stricter economic sanctions against North Korea.Â
President Donald Trump is depending on China's strong role in restricting North Korea vis-a-vis good trade deal with US, but fact remains that a US missile defence system known as Thaad to be installed in South Korea is seen by China as a threat to its own security also. Political scientist Minxin Pei, an expert on governance of People's Republic China plus US-Asia relations who works as an adjunct Senior Associate at Carnegie Endowment, is of the opinion that US Thaad missile programme is a potential threat to China as well as to the region.Â
Observers and analysts are of the opinion that there should be direct talks between North Korea and the United States to peacefully pacify the situation which may include offering some economic concessions in lieu of North Korea's abandoning its nuclear weapons programme for the sake of its half-starved people. The Trump administration should also consider withdrawing the Thaad missile programme from South Korea because South Korean people also do not approve of missile programme as it is likely to stoke up further hostility in the region.Â
The writer, a retired diplomat from Bangladesh, writes from Virginia. USA. amjad.21@gmail.com
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Pacifying the brewing tension in Korean peninsula
Mohammad Amjad Hossain | Published: April 29, 2017 20:42:32 | Updated: October 22, 2017 14:04:09
Pacifying the brewing tension in Korean peninsula
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