Watching the US and DPRK Media Report a “Delicate Handshake”

Published in China.com.cn
(China) on 05/03/2012
by Feng Chuang Zhi (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Jonathan Dixon. Edited by Tom Proctor.
On Feb. 29, the U.S. and DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] held a high-level conference that led to a most pleasing result: America agreed to provide North Korea with 240,000 tons of food stuffs, while the DPRK agreed to a moratorium on nuclear testing, long-range missile testing and the Yongbyon uranium enrichment program. The six-party talk participants — America, North and South Korea, Japan and China — welcomed the news with the U.N. Secretary General. There are also reports of U.S. and North Korean officials meeting in Beijing on the 7th to finalize the details of providing aid to the DPRK.

This author thumbed through the two countries’ joint media releases. According to the Washington Times, North Korea has agreed to completely stop nuclear testing, as well as long-range artillery testing and all uranium enrichment activities. The Korean Central News Agency reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had decided during the productive talks that it would temporarily halt nuclear tests, far-range artillery tests and uranium enrichment programs. One group says “completely halt” and the other says “temporarily suspend”; the discrepancies in the terms give the whole world more room in which to decipher their meanings.

It should be said that even if the media don’t use the same terms, they have given people hope. Especially for North Korea, this reflects a “new person, a fresh breeze.” Kim Jong Eun is consolidating power faster than expected, and this is how he can make a relatively grand diplomatic gesture. Kim Jong Eun’s regime’s decision to take a moratorium in exchange for 240,000 tons of food aid is undoubtedly a pragmatic move. Nowadays the North Korean food shortage is a well-known problem. The Hong Kong media reported that when Kim Jong Il died in December, China provided 500,000 tons of grain and 200,000 tons of crude oil. The North Korean media in this year’s New Year’s Day editorial put it bluntly: The current problem of feeding all the people is a pressing problem for nation-building. When King Jong Eun came to power, the DPRK media revealed that he issued an oath to let the people eat rice and drink broth. The food shortage is a growing storm. Given the choice between nuclear testing and solving the food shortage problem, King Jong Eun has decided the latter, which suggests that in dealing with domestic and foreign affairs, this really is a new regime.

For the United States, resolving these internal contradictions to create a favorable external environment is the number one priority. Nowadays, the most important thing in America’s domestic politics is the upcoming presidential election. The parties are competing for the winter. The Republicans are aiming to seize power, while the Democrats are hoping to maintain it – and the North Korean nuclear program has become a controversy between the two sides. Resolving this issue has been a blessing for Obama’s ballot. As the two sides finally reach a compromise, this is undoubtedly conducive to the Democratic Party’s campaign.

Of course, China has been actively promoting this handshake between the U.S. and DPRK. The location of the talks in Beijing is indicative of China’s attitude, and as the DPRK announced the results of the talks, the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed appreciation for the results of the negotiations. For China, the resumption of six-party talks is an important diplomatic signal, demonstrating China’s positive role in regional peace and security. But past experience tells us that this alone is not enough; only a real resolution of the nuclear issue will move towards lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia as a whole, which is in the best interests of China. In summary, the DPRK - U.S. compromise is a strategic one. Even the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton believes that North Korea’s suspension of its nuclear programs reminds us that the world is changing. Dealing with bilateral issues or issues of regional security can’t be solved through conventional thinking or according to a textbook, which just leads to a rigid approach.

The world is changing. North Korea is changing. And U.S. foreign policy should be changing with it. By the same token, with the changes that are taking place in international disputes, there should also be changes in the approaches to dealing with them.

Of course, while the DPRK and the U.S. are working together, there are still concerns.

Secretary Clinton, for example, said that “the United States still has profound concerns” and will be closely watching the actions of the leaders of the DPRK. Although Japan reopened six-party talks, it lacks confidence and says that it is still too early to talk about it. The six-party talks over the years have stopped and started, and the fact that the U.S. and other states have concerns is not surprising. The difference over the terms of the agreement is also not surprising. For decades, the U.S. and DPRK have been rivals, and the two sides do not get along. But the most important development is that bilateral relations are improving. This author believes that whether the DPRK suspends or terminates its nuclear tests, it is important that the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] supervise. With supervision, leaders will be embarrassed to make irresponsible remarks. Therefore it is important that the IAEA monitoring is in place quickly to test the sincerity of the DPRK in their agreement.

The U.S. should reiterate its statement that it is no longer hostile to the DPRK. The U.S. should practice what it preaches; if it behaves again like it did in 2011 by engaging South Korea in military exercises against North Korea, it is inevitable that the DPRK will become defensive and leads to the deterioration of bilateral relations. People should see an expansion in communication through sports and other types of cultural and educational exchange of personnel.

It should be noted that potential stiffness and lack of communication in the U.S. and DPRK are important reasons for concern. Only if the two sides sit down to communicate and know each other’s concerns on addressing the problem can the conflict be resolved.

The six-party talks in China have proved to be the only platform to address the instability of the Korean Peninsula. Today the DPRK and the U.S. work together for peace and stability.


朝鲜与美国2月29日举行的高级别会议出现了令人为之欣慰的成果:美国同意向朝鲜提供24万吨的营养食品,朝鲜则暂停核试验、远程导弹试验和宁边铀浓缩消息。对这一消息,六方会谈国的中美朝日韩和联合国秘书长均在第一时间表示欢迎。又有消息称,美国和朝鲜官员定于7日在北京讨论并敲定向朝方提供粮食援助的细节问题(3月3日 新华网)。

笔者翻阅对此协议美朝两国的媒体报道提法。美国《华盛顿邮报》云,美国国务院29日发表声明,朝鲜同意全面停止核试验、试射远程导弹和铀浓缩活动。而朝鲜朝中社报道,朝外务省称,朝鲜决定在进行有效的朝美会谈期间,暂停核试验、远程导弹试射和宁边的铀浓缩活动。一个说“全面停止”,一个说“暂停”,个中的用词差别,也给世界增添了解读空间。

应该说,无论双方媒体用词不同,但已给人们带来希望。对于朝鲜而言,体现了新人新风。金正恩巩固权力的速度超出预期,故能够在外交方面做出较大的姿态。金正恩政权采取以暂停核活动换取美国24万吨粮食无疑是个务实的举措。时下,朝鲜粮食短缺是一个世界众所周知的问题。香港媒体报道,在朝领导人金正日12月去世后,中国向朝鲜提供50万吨粮食和20万吨原油。朝鲜媒体今年元旦社论中,也直言不讳:当前,解决人民的吃问题粮食问题是国家建设的迫切问题。还在金正恩当接班人之时,朝媒体曾透露金正恩发出过誓言,让人民吃上饭,喝上肉汤。朝缺粮之困可见一斑。而今,在核试与解决粮缺问题上,金正恩政权向后者倾斜,这表明,朝新政权在处理外交与内政手腕令人有不一样的感觉。

对于美国而言,解决国内矛盾创造良好的外部环境是要务一桩。时下美国国内最重要莫过于即将到来的总统选战。鹿死谁手,各方正在较量。共和党志在夺权,而民主党则在苦守。而朝核一直成为双方论战的焦点之一。奥巴马通过解决朝核确保选票是一直的祈求。而今,双方终于达成妥协协议,无疑有利于美国民主党选举得分。

当然,促成朝美携手,是中国方面的积极推动。会谈地点本身选在北京已表示出中国的态度,而朝鲜宣布成果之后,中国外交部亦在第一时间表示赞赏,显示出对相关谈判成果已了然如胸。对于中国来说,推动六方会谈重启具有重要的外交宣示意义,能够展示中国在地区安全与和平方面的积极作用。但过去的经验告诉我们,仅仅这样是不够的,只有推动朝核问题走向真正的解决、在半岛以及整个东北亚地区实现持久的安全与和平才能符合中国的国家利益。综上所述,朝美妥协是形势迫人。连直接指导朝美会议的美方希拉里国务卿也认为,朝鲜暂停核活动也提醒我们周边的世界正在发生变化。那么,处理双边关系,或地区敏感问题,就不能持墨守成规的思维,一本通书念到底,那样的话,不但解决不了矛盾,还会越来越僵硬。

世界在变,朝鲜在变,那么,美国对外政策也应进行调整。同样的道理,解决变化中的国际争端,也需要与时俱进的眼光去处理。

当然,分析人士在肯定美朝携手的同时,也流露出了某些担忧。

比如,希拉里国务卿对此协议能否彻底实施表示对朝鲜“仍有深切的忧虑”,“将密切关注朝方领导人的行动”。日本也对重新开启六方会谈信心不足,认为讨论日朝协商为时过早。由于六方会谈几年来一直处于停停谈谈的状况,美国等国有这样的担心并不奇怪。而两国媒体对协议用词方面有差异也不奇怪。数十年来,美朝一直是死对头,双方要走在一起确非易事。但最为重要的是双方关系能一步步推进。笔者认为,对于朝方表示暂停或全面停止朝核试验,重要的莫过于允许国际原子能机构对其进行监督。监督到度到位,别人也不好意思说三道四。因此,如何确保国际原子能机构监督迅速到位检验着朝对此协议的诚意。

美国也表态重申不再敌视朝鲜。那么,美国就应言行一致,假若再像2011年之前那样,今天拉韩国搞针对朝鲜军演,明天又拉日本向朝鲜示威军演,那么难免令朝鲜反感,难免令双方关系恶化。人们看到,美国表示采取扩大文化教育体育等领域的人员交往,这就找到了一个途径:沟通。

应该指出,美朝僵硬,少沟通或不沟通则是一个重要的原因。唯有双方坐下来平等沟通,才能知道彼此之间的关切,才能对症下药,解决矛盾。

中国牵头发起的六方会谈是历经实践证明了的是唯一解决朝鲜半岛不稳定因素的平台。而今,朝美携手给半岛和平稳定带来了曙光。
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