The Response from Pyongyang
North Korea, like Iran, is certainly not blameless when it comes to analysing the current stand-off with the US. Still, however, the US would be wise to take a step back and listen for a moment to what the North Koreans are saying in justification for the recent burst of missile firings. The Pyongyang government issued a rather interesting statement a few days ago in North Korea's Korean Times.
Pyongyang: A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea gave the following answer to a question offered by the Korea Central News Agency, in regard to the recent missile launches by North Korea.
In the wake of the missile launches by the Korean People's Army [KPA], the United States and a number of other countries that following it, including Japan, are making much ado about the tests. They have labeled them a "violation" and a "provocation," are calling for "sanctions" and North Korea's "referral to the U.N. Security Council."
The latest successful missile launches were routine military exercises staged by the KPA to increase the nation's capacity for self-defenses.
North Korea's exercise of its legitimate rights as a sovereign state is neither limited by any international law nor bilateral or multilateral agreements.
The DPRK is not a signatory to the Missile Technology Control Regime and, therefore, is not bound under that either.
As for the moratorium on long-range missile tests which the DPRK agreed to with the U.S. in 1999, this was valid only while the DPRK-U.S. dialogue was under way.
The Bush administration, however, scrapped all the agreements concluded by the preceding administration and has completely scuttled the bilateral dialogue.
...The Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks on September 19, 2005 stipulates the commitments to be fulfilled by the six parties to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. But no sooner had the Joint Statement been adopted than the U.S. applied financial sanctions against North Korea, and escalating the financial pressure in a number of areas. The U.S., at the same time, has completely hamstrung efforts to implement the Joint Statement, by issuing threats and practicing blackmail, such as large-scale military exercises targeted against North Korea.
Under such a situation, it is clear to everyone that there is no need for North Korea to unilaterally delay its missile tests. This being the stark fact of the matter, it is a far-fetched assertion and grossly false for them to claim that these routine missile launches, conducted by the KPA for self-defense purposes, raise tensions in the region and block the progress of dialogue.
History and the stark reality of international relations teach us that upsetting the balance of forces is bound to create instability, crisis and even war. This has once again been proven by the crisis in Iraq.
...It is also preposterous for them to label the latest missile launches a "provocation" merely because North Korea's failed to provide prior notice.
It would be extremely foolish to notify Washington or Tokyo of missile launches in advance, given that the United States, which is technically at war with North Korea, has been threatening for the past month to intercept North Korea's missiles.
We would like to ask the United States and Japan if they had ever notified North Korea of their never-ending missile launches in areas close to its shores. North Korea remains determined in its will to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula in a negotiated and peaceful manner, just as it committed itself in the Joint Statement of Six-Party Talks. But the latest missile tests are quite irrelevant to Talks. [Emphasis added]
North Korea continues to complain that the US is the agent of provocation in this matter and this is used to justify the North Korean actions, in this case the multiple missile launches of various ranges. It's hard to see the action as little more than "Pay Attention To Me!" histrionics. However, our government and its diplomats had better see beyond the rhetoric, especially since the problems with North Korea and Iran seemed to redouble after the infamous presidential speech naming them both as part of the tripartite axis of evil. The third member, Iraq, has already been attacked, invaded, and occupied. Both Iran and North Korea, however culpable they may be, have reason to insist on security guarantees from the rest of the world, particularly the US, if they are to give up nuclear weaponry.
The past five years have seen nothing but mistake after mistake in the foreign policy of the US regime. Those mistakes are now coming home to roost. It's time for the US, and the other members of the Six-Party talks, to try to rectify those mistakes and come up with a viable solution. This situation can't wait for the next administration.
Pyongyang: A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea gave the following answer to a question offered by the Korea Central News Agency, in regard to the recent missile launches by North Korea.
In the wake of the missile launches by the Korean People's Army [KPA], the United States and a number of other countries that following it, including Japan, are making much ado about the tests. They have labeled them a "violation" and a "provocation," are calling for "sanctions" and North Korea's "referral to the U.N. Security Council."
The latest successful missile launches were routine military exercises staged by the KPA to increase the nation's capacity for self-defenses.
North Korea's exercise of its legitimate rights as a sovereign state is neither limited by any international law nor bilateral or multilateral agreements.
The DPRK is not a signatory to the Missile Technology Control Regime and, therefore, is not bound under that either.
As for the moratorium on long-range missile tests which the DPRK agreed to with the U.S. in 1999, this was valid only while the DPRK-U.S. dialogue was under way.
The Bush administration, however, scrapped all the agreements concluded by the preceding administration and has completely scuttled the bilateral dialogue.
...The Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks on September 19, 2005 stipulates the commitments to be fulfilled by the six parties to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. But no sooner had the Joint Statement been adopted than the U.S. applied financial sanctions against North Korea, and escalating the financial pressure in a number of areas. The U.S., at the same time, has completely hamstrung efforts to implement the Joint Statement, by issuing threats and practicing blackmail, such as large-scale military exercises targeted against North Korea.
Under such a situation, it is clear to everyone that there is no need for North Korea to unilaterally delay its missile tests. This being the stark fact of the matter, it is a far-fetched assertion and grossly false for them to claim that these routine missile launches, conducted by the KPA for self-defense purposes, raise tensions in the region and block the progress of dialogue.
History and the stark reality of international relations teach us that upsetting the balance of forces is bound to create instability, crisis and even war. This has once again been proven by the crisis in Iraq.
...It is also preposterous for them to label the latest missile launches a "provocation" merely because North Korea's failed to provide prior notice.
It would be extremely foolish to notify Washington or Tokyo of missile launches in advance, given that the United States, which is technically at war with North Korea, has been threatening for the past month to intercept North Korea's missiles.
We would like to ask the United States and Japan if they had ever notified North Korea of their never-ending missile launches in areas close to its shores. North Korea remains determined in its will to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula in a negotiated and peaceful manner, just as it committed itself in the Joint Statement of Six-Party Talks. But the latest missile tests are quite irrelevant to Talks. [Emphasis added]
North Korea continues to complain that the US is the agent of provocation in this matter and this is used to justify the North Korean actions, in this case the multiple missile launches of various ranges. It's hard to see the action as little more than "Pay Attention To Me!" histrionics. However, our government and its diplomats had better see beyond the rhetoric, especially since the problems with North Korea and Iran seemed to redouble after the infamous presidential speech naming them both as part of the tripartite axis of evil. The third member, Iraq, has already been attacked, invaded, and occupied. Both Iran and North Korea, however culpable they may be, have reason to insist on security guarantees from the rest of the world, particularly the US, if they are to give up nuclear weaponry.
The past five years have seen nothing but mistake after mistake in the foreign policy of the US regime. Those mistakes are now coming home to roost. It's time for the US, and the other members of the Six-Party talks, to try to rectify those mistakes and come up with a viable solution. This situation can't wait for the next administration.
posted by Diane at 10:11 AM
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