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Mogherini: Keeping Iran nuclear deal in place vital for EU

in MIDLE EAST/POLITICS by

The European Union foreign policy chief said preserving Iran nuclear deal is vital for the European bloc. Federica Mogherini told reporters on Monday ahead of the bloc’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg. “On the Iran deal, we’re doing all we can to work with our American friends to make sure that all parties stay fully committed to the full implementation of the agreement,” Mogherini was quoted by European External Action Service (EEAS) as saying. “As it is the case so far as we know the last joint commission that we chaired was positive, everybody recognized that Iran is fully compliant with its nuclear commitments as has been confirmed by the IAEA for 11 times,” she said.

“Let me add that preserving the agency credibility is crucial especially in a time when we enter maybe hopefully, some interesting discussions with DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea]. So work is ongoing and we believe it would be essential to stay united in this,” she noted. The top EU diplomat continued, “Let me also add the Europeans have always made it clear for us that keeping the agreement in place is vital. It is a strategic interest for the EU and we will stick to it.” On the sanctions, the top official said, “I do not foresee any decision to be taken today on this. As you know, we have already sanctions in place on Iran – non-nuclear related. I do not expect [foreign] ministers to take decision on this today.”

Kim Jong Un meets high-ranking Chinese diplomat in Pyongyang

in FAR EAST/POLITICS by

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has met with a high-ranking Chinese diplomat in Pyongyang, amid a flurry of diplomacy following Kim’s recent surprise visit to Beijing. Kim’s trip, during which he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, was considered an attempt to repair traditionally warm ties with China that have deteriorated over North Korea’s development of ballistic missile and nuclear weapons technology and China’s enforcement of United Nations economic sanctions. Kim said during his meeting with Song on Saturday that he and Xi “reached important consensus” in Beijing, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency. Song agreed that the two leaders had reached consensus, and said China is willing to work with North Korea to safeguard peace on the Korean Peninsula, Xinhua reported. Song Tao, who heads the ruling Communist Party’s International Department, led an art troupe to Pyongyang to attend an arts festival, according to China’s Foreign Ministry.

Trump: North Korea meeting on nuclear weapons to be in ‘May or early June’

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U.S. President Donald Trump said he planned to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un next month or in early June and hoped the discussions would ultimately lead to an end of the North’s nuclear weapons program. “Hopefully, it’ll be a relationship that’s much different than it’s been for many, many years” he said.

According to a U.S. official North Korea also has told the United States it is prepared to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula when Kim meets Trump. The official said U.S. and North Korean officials have held secret contacts recently in which Pyongyang directly confirmed its willingness to hold the unprecedented summit. The communications have involved State Department officials talking to North Korea, apparently through its United Nations mission, and intelligence officers from both sides using a separate back channel, the official said.

North Korea’s Yongbyon Nuclear Research Center: Major Activity at the Five Megawatt Reactor

in FAR EAST by

According to 38 North, commercial satellite imagery from March 30 indicates that North Korea may have shut down the 5 MWe (plutonium production) reactor, since it was last observed in late February, given the lack of clearly visible steam plumes at the Generator Hall. At the Experimental Light Water Reactor (ELWR), work continues on an adjacent building that may be a laboratory or for engineering support, but there are no obvious signs that the reactor is approaching operational status, in fact there was no evidence of plutonium reprocessing taking place at the Radiochemical Laboratory. 

Presently, imagery indicates only routine vehicle movements and no activities associated with preparations for, or an ongoing, reprocessing campaign at the Radiochemical Laboratory. 

China hopes US, North Korea meeting advances smoothly, Foreign Minister Wang Yi says

in FAR EAST by

Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho in Beijing today and told him that China appreciates the North’s “important efforts” toward the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Wang also said Beijing hopes that a planned meeting between the leaders of North Korea and the United States advances smoothly and that the reasonable security concerns of all sides regarding the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula should be taken into account. 

North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho is set to visit Russia, where Ri is expected to talk to senior Russian government officials about the situation on the Korean peninsula, Azerbaijan, where he is likely to attend a ministerial-level meeting of the Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement in Baku, and other former Soviet republics in the coming days. North Korea in fact has intensified diplomatic efforts ahead of its planned summit with South Korea on April 27 and first-ever high-level talks with the United States possibly by the end of next month. 

China welcomes North Korea’s commitment to denuclearization

in FAR EAST/POLITICS by

Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met North Korean Foreign Minster Ri Yong Ho in Beijing today and told him that China appreciates the North’s “important efforts” toward the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Wang also said Beijing hopes that a planned meeting between the leaders of North Korea and the United States advances smoothly and that the reasonable security concerns of all sides regarding the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula should be taken into account.

North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho is set to visit Russia, where Ri is expected to talk to senior Russian government officials about the situation on the Korean peninsula, Azerbaijan, where he is likely to attend a ministerial-level meeting of the Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement in Baku, and other former Soviet republics in the coming days. North Korea in fact has intensified diplomatic efforts ahead of its planned summit with South Korea on April 27 and first-ever high-level talks with the United States possibly by the end of next month.

‘Strong possibility’ North Korea’s Kim Jong Un made surprise Beijing visit

in FAR EAST/POLITICS by

An armoured green with yellow horizontal lines train arrived in Beijing on Monday night. This event, including tightened security outside the train station, and tourists being ushered out of the capital’s Tiananmen Square, which usually signals a high-level meeting in the Great Hall of the People there, fed rumours that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited Beijing. Assuming it actually took place it was Kim’s first visit to a foreign country since succeeding his father, Kim Jong-il, as supreme leader of North Korea in December 2011 and it was a clear message sent to the world that despite rumours to the contrary, Beijing and Pyongyang remain close allies.

Although the details of the visit remain a closely guarded secret, Kim is believed to have met Chinese President Xi Jinping and possibly other top Communist Party leaders, including Premier Li Keqiang while in the city. There has been no official comment from North Korea, while China’s foreign ministry said it had “no information for the moment”, but more would “be published in due course”.

Bolton: N. Korea wants to buy time to develop nukes

in ASIA by

John Bolton, the incoming U.S. national security adviser, said North Korea is offering negotiations with the United States in order to buy time to develop its nuclear weapons. “I think we have to look at what North Korea’s motivation is here. I think they’re very worried that they’ve got a different president in the White House than Barack Obama. They’re worried about the pressure that the president’s already put on” Bolton said in an interview.

“They’ve got a fairly limited number of things they need to do in North Korea to make their nuclear warheads actually deliverable on targets in the United States. So they want to try and slow roll the negotiations to buy more time. This is something they’ve done consistently over the last 25 years” he added. Taking months to prepare for the meeting would “simply play into the North Korean playbook” Bolton concluded.

North Korea agrees to inter-Korean talks to discuss possible April summit

in ASIA by

RANN – The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) has announced the resumption of humanitarian operations in Rann town, in Borno. The UN had on March 2 suspended aid operations and withdrew its workers from Rann after a March 1 attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists, who killed eight persons, including three aid workers, and abducted a nurse.

The UN relief wing said the resumption of aid operations in the community followed several security assessments by the UN and non-governmental organisations.

“The UN and partners are providing life-saving emergency assistance in Rann including food, shelter and medicine to over 80,000 women, children and men, among them 55,000 internally displaced people.” UN OCHA affirmed.

Korea’s denuclearization, South Korea’s preparing for a summit next month

in FAR EAST by

South Korea is preparing for an inter-Korean summit next month on hopes for “progress” in developing its ties with North Korea and resolving the nuclear issue. Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon also suggested that the two Koreas may be able to hold more summits during the five-year term of President Moon Jae-in. “The government is preparing for the summit, hoping for better results in resolving the North Korea nuclear issue, along with an improvement in inter-Korean ties,” Cho told a forum with South Korean servicemen at the Gyeryongdae military complex in the country’s central South Chungcheong Province.

For North Korea’s denuclearization, Cho raised the need for a “comprehensive” strategy that includes the provision of a security guarantee for the North’s regime and the promotion of economic cooperation.

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