Views on Korean Nuclear Issue

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, January 10, 2003

Views on Korean Nuclear Issue

In motivating a solution of the Korean nuclear issue, China has played a constructive role. It has all along been conducting coordinate consultations with related countries through a variety of channels, hoping that the present tense situation in the Korean Peninsula can be relaxed through dialogs among the parties concerned.

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Editor's Notes: At the end of last year, DPRK repeatedly stressed that its own security was subjected to American threat, hoping that the nuclear issue could be resolved through signing a non-aggression treaty with the United States and expressing its willingness to conduct dialogs with the United States without attached preconditions.

Although the United States has repeatedly indicated that it "has no intention to invade Korea", it rejected the proposal put forward by Korea, insisting that the only way to solve the crisis is for Korea to give up its nuclear program. Since each side held fast to its view, the situation escalated step by step and reached an impasse.

Since the beginning of 2003, efforts to diffuse the stalemate have been stepped up, and the search for dialogs and consultations has become a common view, giving people the sense of "a warming-up temperature".

DPRK: "The Ball Is on US Side"

Zhao Jiaming (PD correspondent stationed in Korea): The core content of the 1994 Korea-US nuclear framework agreement is: Korea (DPRK) freezes its graphite reactor plan now under research and development, and the United States is responsible for building two 1-million kw light-water reactors for Korea before 2003, in this process, the United States and others provide Korea with 500,000-ton heavy oil each year to be used in heating and power generation as compensations for Korea's energy loss. But as things stand today, the United States is unable to honor the above promise it made in the framework agreement, when will the light-water reactor be completed is indefinite. The Bush administration listed Korea in the so-called axis of evils, and a "target of pre-emptive nuclear attack", and it suspended supplying Korea with heavy oil beginning from last December. Because of this, the Korean side holds that the series of US practices show that the root of the Korean Peninsula nuclear problem lies in the United States, it is America that has first violated the nuclear framework concord, so the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is entirely the product of the current US government's policy of hostility toward Korea. Under such circumstances, the Korean side has no alternative but to adopt appropriate measures for "its sovereignty and right to subsistence", and "the United States should bear all responsibilities for the current situation".

Over the past few months, the Korean side has repeatedly stressed that "peacefully solving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue by the method of dialogs and consultations is Korea's consistent stance". To this end, the Korean side has from the very beginning put forward a package solution to the nuclear problem by signing a non-aggression treaty between the two sides of Korea and the United States, this means that the United States makes legal promise of not using nuclear weapons and not committing aggression against Korea, the Korean side is willing to relieve America of its security worry. A Korean official told the reporter: "We've all along been exercising the greatest restraint and have always left our door wide open for dialogs and consultations with the United States, but America should not misjudge the Korean people's will to defend their State sovereignty, interest and dignity. Our consistent stand is: reciprocating good intention with good intention and countering toughness with super-toughness, how will the situation develop next depends entirely on the American attitude-the ball is on the American side."

USA: Willing to Conduct Dialogs with the Korean Side

Ren Yujun (PD correspondent in USA): Tripartite talk on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue was conducted in Washington by the United States, the ROK and Japan. After conclusion of the talk, the stance clearly announced by US State Department was somewhat unexpected to the news media. Spokesman Richard Boucher for US State Department announced US readiness to conduct dialogs with Korea on "how to perform obligations for the international community", but the United States will not make any concession on the issue of freezing the nuclear weapon project. Boucher pointed out that Korea must stop the project of extracting raw materials for nuclear weapons, and must allow international inspectors to exercise supervision, and it must earnestly perform its commitment to making the Korean Peninsula nuclear-free. When asked about what topics the United States is prepared to touch upon in its negotiation with Korea, Boucher said: We'll talk about the whole situation. He also disclosed that Assistant Secretary of State James A. Kelly will lead a delegation to visit the ROK, Japan, China, Malaysia and Singapore next week to exchange opinions with the above-mentioned countries on the Korean nuclear issue.

Bush has repeatedly emphasized that he believed the Korean nuclear question could be resolved through "bloodless means". "The dispute between the United States and Korea over the nuclear issue is not a military showdown, but rather a diplomatic showdown". Korea is unlike Iraq, the United States does not consider the use the "pre-emptive" tactic to forcibly solve the Korean nuclear issue. Bush reiterated this stance on January 6 and 7. A commentary said that over the past few weeks, the United States has all along refused to have direct talks with Korea. The American proposition has been boycotted by the ROK government, saying that Washington's stand is unduly intransigent. The change of the US present stand obviously signifies acceptance of the formula set forth by the ROK, and is a major concession. The loosening of US stance makes it possible for the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue to develop in the direction of diffusion.

ROK: Playing a "Leading Role"

Xu Baokang (PD correspondent in the ROK): On solving the Korean nuclear issue, the most salient feature of the ROK is getting rid of the previous pattern whereby the United States took everything into its own hands, and playing a leading role in the capacity as one of the parties concerned and actively carrying out diplomatic mediation, it intends to present its "three-step" program for peacefully solving the Korean nuclear problem.

At the beginning of this year, the ROK went all out to carry out shuttle diplomatic activities, conducted consultations with various parties concerned to seek solutions, playing the role of bridge for peacefully setting the Korean nuclear issue. For instance, on January 2, 5 and 7, it sent officials respectively to China, Russia, the United States and Japan for the above-said purpose. With a view to solving the Korean nuclear issue at an early date, the ROK is stepping up formulation of a "three-step" program. The basic framework of this program is: for the 1st step, after Korea first expresses its willingness to give up the nuclear plan, restoration of heavy oil supply to Korea will be begun to create an atmosphere for Korea-US dialogs; for the second step, Korea-US dialogs will begin, during which the United States should clearly express its attitude in a "document" form (including a letter of Bush), to guarantee Korea's security and system; for the third step, through dialogs, Korea and the United States will finally return to the track of the 1994 Korea-US-Japan Geneva framework agreement.

After a joint statement was published by the coordination meeting held by the ROK, the United States and Japan in Washington on January 7 concerning policy toward Korea, the ROK expressed the view that the three parties to the coordination meeting had reached a consensus on the Korean nuclear issue, which is now a good opportunity for settling the Korean nuclear problem. The ROK plans to exchange views with the Korean side at the forthcoming ninth ROK-DPRK ministerial-level talks to be held in Seoul to seek for a solution.

Russia: Advocating "Quiet Diplomacy"

Lu Yansong (PD correspondent in Russia): The Russian stand on the Korean nuclear issue can be summed up as two points: First, Korea should give up its nuclear plan and maintain the nuclear-free status of the Korean Peninsula; second, it advocates that the various parties concerned should strengthen dialogs and the problem be solved through diplomatic channels and negotiations.

A vice-foreign minister of Russia recently indicated that Russia is not prepared, as hoped by the parties concerned, to bring pressure to bear upon Pyongyang. This high-ranking diplomat, after highly appraising the "close relationship" between Russia and Korea, expressed understanding of the latter's security worries. US armed forces stationed in the ROK, and Washington regards Korea as part of the "axis of evils", this causes Pyongyang to feel uneasy. Korea lacks a sense of trust in US statement of not preparing to use force against it, and it hopes to get a certain kind of "more definite guarantee". It is Moscow's view that this wish is "entirely reasonable" as well as "logical". This Russian official called upon the parties concerned to strengthen dialogs, and calm down the situation through "quiet diplomacy". Meanwhile, he pointed out that currently Russia does not hope the Korean nuclear issue to be submitted to the UN Security Council for discussion. According to authoritative source, on the Korean nuclear issue Moscow pays great attention to traditional geo-political interest and will make "extremely sensible" use of its diplomatic influence on Korea.

China: Peaceful Solution of Disputes

Wang Li (PD editor): In motivating a solution of the Korean nuclear issue, China has played a constructive role. It has all along been conducting coordinate consultations with related countries through a variety of channels, hoping that the present tense situation in the Korean Peninsula can be relaxed through dialogs among the parties concerned. China's permanent representative Zhang Yan to Vienna United Nations and other international organizations indicated on January 6 that China will, as always, support all efforts and propositions conducive to a peaceful settlement of the Korean nuclear issue, helpful to safeguarding peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and beneficial to maintaining the nuclear-free status of the peninsula. On January 7, FM spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue, while answering reporters' questions, summed up China's stand on the Korean nuclear issue in the following three points: First, China stands for safeguarding peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula; second, China supports the nuclear-free status of the Korean Peninsula; and third, China hopes the Korean nuclear issue would be resolved through dialogs among parties concerned.

It is the consistent view of China that constructive dialog, consultation and sincere cooperation conducted on the basis of equality are the only correct and effective way for solving international disputes. China sincerely hopes that the parties involved will, proceeding from the overall situation of peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, actively take initiative actions to break the stalemate so as to create favorable atmosphere and conditions for resumption of dialogs.

By People's Daily Online

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