Leaders Condemn Missile Launches By DPRK
February 14, 2022–Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii on Saturday, the top diplomats for the United States, Japan, and South Korea released a joint statement promising to collaborate on an Indo-Pacific strategy.
The statement comes after North Korea (DPRK) launched nine ballistic missiles in the month of January, challenging the Biden Administration.
U.S. Strategy for the Indo-Pacific
In response to that and other diplomatic challenges, namely by China, President Joe Biden released a new strategy this month for the Indo-Pacific region. The strategy suggests the United States is stepping up its diplomacy, foreign assistance and participation in regional organizations to counter China’s growing influence in the East and South China Seas.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken today returned from a trip to Australia, Fiji and Hawaii, where he garnered concrete support for Biden’s agenda. Blinken signed a joint statement, along with Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and Republic of Korea (ROK) Minister of Foreign Affairs Chung Eui-yong.
“The Secretary and Foreign Ministers emphasized their three countries share a common view of a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is inclusive, and shared respect for the rules-based international order and pledged to further expand their cooperative relationships. The Foreign Ministers welcomed the United States’ newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy,” according to the joint statement.
The Feb. 12 Joint Statement by the United States, Japan and South Korea
Condemning DPRK’s Missile Launches
Notably, the joint statement condemned North Korea’s recent missile launches. Asked on Sunday to comment on developments, Blinken addressed that issue directly.
“I think it is clear to all of us that the DPRK is in a phase of provocation,” Blinken said. “We condemned the recent missile launches, violations of UN Security Council resolutions.”
Blinken also said U.S. diplomats are ready to meet with representatives from North Korea.
“At the same time, we remain prepared to meet without preconditions to pursue practical steps toward diplomacy. The goal remains the same and it’s a shared goal. It’s the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and it is lasting peace,” Blinken said.
UN Security Council Meeting
The United States called for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting, which took place Feb. 4. Members closed the meeting to the public but addressed reporters afterward. During the meeting, China tabled a resolution proposed by the United States. It would have condemned North Korea for its missile launches that violate multiple Security Council resolutions.
Chinese Amb. to the United Nations Zhang Jun said the United States should “accommodate the concerns” of North Korea. According to Amb. Zhang, “the solution lies in dialogue,” such as “more attentive, and more practical, more flexible approaches, policies, and actions and in accommodating the concerns of the DPRK.”
Additional Reporting by Patti Mohr.
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2022 Patti Mohr