U.N. chief urges ‘serious’ nuclear talks to build on thaw between North and South Korea
UNITED NATIONS, (MILLAT ONLINE):UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said it was critical that international stakeholders take advantage of a thaw in relations between North and South Korea to pursue peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
“Our objective remains the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,” Guterres told reporters at UN headquarters in New York.
“For that, it is absolutely essential that serious discussions take place among the key actors in this process and the UN will do everything possible to encourage them in that regard.”
The UN chief will make an official visit to South Korea next week to meet with leaders in the country’s capital, Seoul, ahead of the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.
Guterres’ push for talks to end tension on the Korean peninsula comes a day after North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho urged the UN Security Council to discuss “welcoming” a thawing of relations on both sides of the Korean demilitarized zone.
“Owing to our magnanimous initiative, good results are borne in the inter-Korean dialogue, thus giving joy to all fellow countrymen, and a positive atmosphere in favor of improving inter-Korean relations is created,” said Ri.
Tensions have subsided since Pyongyang and Seoul agreed to hold officials talks in January. North Korea later confirmed its participation in the Winter Olympic Games in South Korea.
However, Pyongchang is concerned over US plans to hold a “large-scale aggressive joint military exercise” following the sports competition, Ri noted.
Despite thawing relations, the US and its allies have continued to pressure the regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Last month, 20 countries agreed to consider fresh sanctions against Pyongyang during a US-Canadian summit. The summit had been planned after North Korea launched its most advanced ballistic missile in November, increasing tensions across the region.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that North Korea “could very soon threaten our homeland” with a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korea warned against such statements, saying it could undermine “inter-Korean dialogue.”
The UN chief also highlighted three key points from the final Sochi statement after talks on Syrian crisis.
First, it embraced a vision of Syria for all Syrians – as reflected by the 12 living intra-Syrian principles put forward by de Mistura in Geneva late last year.
Second, the Congress affirmed that a Constitutional Committee should be formed under UN auspices in accordance with Security Council resolution 2254 (2015).
He said that there is an understanding that such a Committee should at the very least comprise the Government, opposition representatives in the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, Syrian experts, civil society, independents, tribal leaders and women. It would also include adequate representation of Syriaas ethnic and religious components.
Third, the Congress made it clear that a final agreement on the mandate, terms of reference, powers, rules of procedure, and selection criteria for the composition of the Constitutional Committee is to be reached in the UN-led talks in Geneva.
“My Special Envoy will now draw on this Sochi outcome to meet our shared goal: full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254 and the Geneva Communique, Guterres said.
Turning to the humanitarian situation in Syria, he noted that over the last two months, not a single convoy of life-saving relief has reached a besieged area no medical supplies and no food.
He appealed for humanitarian access, strict respect for international humanitarian law and, in particular, the protection of civilians.