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Pyongyang’s N-test threat brings neighbours together
North Korea's neighbors announce
series of summits.
BY OUR POLITICS CORRESPONDENT
October 4, 2006
The threat of an impending nuke test by North Korea has prompted neighbouring nations to come together and deliberate on how to mend broken ties. North Korea’s neighbours have in fact announced a series of summits to talk the matter out between them.
In an attempt to repair damaged ties with its neighbours, Japan said that the government plans summits with China and South Korea on Sunday and Monday. Meanwhile, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun will hold summits with the leaders of Japan and China next week. Roh will host new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Seoul on Monday, and head to Beijing to speak with Chinese President Hu Jintao on October 13.
All the meetings are sure to have one main agenda. North Korea and its nuclear test plan. It is widely believed that the soon-to-happen nuclear test, a first for North Korea, is like confirming its claim to possess atomic bombs.
East Asian region’s top US ally is Japan. The country has in fact been the most hard-line against North Korea. And, Pyongyang is hard core anti-Japan. On the other hand, China is North Korea’s friend. The Chinese administration also has reservations against Pyongyang’s nuke planes , and it may not oppose moves to pressure the regime.
It’s not just East Asia who is making all the noises. Australia, a known American ally, has termed Pyongyang’s nuke test plans impudent. While strongly wording North Korea’s moves as defiant and impudent, Australian premier John Howard observed that a combined diplomatic pressure of the UN, with the full support of the US, Britain, France, China, Russia can bring to the North Koreans the reality that the rest of the world regards them as behaving in a diplomatic way as the international outlaw. Australia found company in New Zealand who has also flayed the Pyongyang move.
Opining that North Korea's statement is intolerable, New Zealand said the Pyongyang can expect a harsh response from the international community if it goes ahead with its nuke test plan.
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