US Strike Threat Hurts DPRK Talks: News Analysis

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, August 14, 2003

US Strike Threat Hurts DPRK Talks: News Analysis

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The Wall Street Journal revealed on August 7 the Pentagon's new plan to launch a pre-emptive attack against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Such a plan could have a negative influence on the series of diplomatic initiatives among the international community to find a peaceful solution to the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

Making a huge concession, Pyongyang has just shifted from its previous firmly-held stance for direct bilateral talks with the United States over its nuclear programme.

On August 1, the DPRK agreed to a six-nation meeting to discuss the problem, which scheduled to be held August 27-29 in Beijing, involving the DPRK, China, Japan, Russia, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States.

Pyongyang's key concerns in the forthcoming six-nation talks lie in whether the United States will provide it with a non-aggression guarantee for its national security.

The Pentagon's saber-rattling, at this crucial moment, is undoubtedly detrimental.

Since the nuclear issue on the peninsula erupted last October, the United States has never abandoned its stated double-pronged policy towards the DPRK - namely, to leave the door open to negotiation, while at the same time exerting economic and military pressure - although it has publicly stated on many occasions that it has no such intention and its plans to use aggression towards DPRK.

Washington's hard-line attitude towards the DPRK has done nothing but escalate tensions on the peninsula.

Since the eruption of the current nuclear crisis last October when Washington exposed Pyongyang's admission of its clandestine nuclear programme in breach of a 1994 Agreed Framework, the two sides have been exchanging rhetoric. Pyongyang has insisted on bilateral talks with Washington and said it would give up its nuclear programme only after Washington signs a non-aggression pact. The United States insists Pyongyang must fully dismantle its nuclear programme before there can be any multilateral discussion of a new mechanism.

Beyond reaching an agreement on the format of the six-way negotiations, the two sides have made no further concessions on the key issues of the discussions.

The Pentagon's pre-emptive attack plan is obviously not a wise option, as tough stances have been little help in pushing either side's claims, particularly now as rising fears create new dangers.

A Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons is crucial not only to the security of Northeast Asia but the whole world. A peaceful settlement through dialogue is in the interests of all parties concerned.

Sincerity and flexibility are urgently needed from all relevant parties to break the stalemate in the upcoming negotiations.

The United States should give up its superpower mentality and treat the DPRK as an equal sovereign state at the negotiation table.

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