Initiate direct talks between US and North Korea

JCP welcomes the agreement to hold a summit meeting between the North and the South

Japanese Government should support and promote a peaceful resolution through dialogue

 

Kazuo Shii

Chair, Japanese Communist Party

Member of the House of Representatives of Japan

Tokyo

March 7, 2018

The South Korean delegation announced that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to hold a summit meeting between the North and the South in late April. The announcement followed the meeting between the special envoy of President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and Mr. Kim. The Japanese Communist Party welcomes the move as an important step to de-escalate the tension on the Korean Peninsula. We also welcome the other measures agreed upon, including the reestablishment of the hotline between the two nations.

 

According to a South Korean official, North Korea clearly expressed its “commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” and stated that it would have “no reason to possess nuclear weapons should the safety of its regime be guaranteed and if military threats against the North were removed.” The official also stated that the North expressed its “will to have candid dialogue with the US to discuss the issue of denuclearization and normalization of Pyongyang-Washington ties” while emphasizing the call for the denuclearization of the peninsula was made by former North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.

 

US President Donald Trump positively responded to the development by stating, “Their statements have been very positive. That would be a great thing for the world.” Regarding a possible direct talk between the US and North Korea, he did not exclude the possibility and stated, “Hopefully, we’ll go in the very, very peaceful path.”

 

The Japanese Communist Party has repeatedly urged North Korea and the US to talk directly with each other in order to resolve the issue of the nuclear and missile development programs and avert a crisis on the peninsula. On this occasion, again, we strongly hope that the two nations will engage in direct talks.

 

The Japanese government should make every diplomatic effort to support the emerging momentum calling for a peaceful resolution of the North Korea issue through dialogue by discarding its obstinate dismissal of engaging in dialogue and its penchant for increasing military pressure.