North Korea flexing nuclear muscle

Bangladesh like many other countries has expressed its concern over a nuclear test carried out by North Korea recently. The country has in a statement reminded Pyongyang that the nuclear test was in contravention to the UN Security Council Resolutions Nos 1718, 1874, 2087 and 2094 and the non-proliferation regime. It also urged North Korea to refrain from activities that could potentially escalate tension, and to reaffirm its commitment to the maintenance of peace and stability of the region and beyond.
Even North Korea’s longtime ally China has said it "firmly opposes" the test, which only adds to Beijing's growing list of diplomatic headaches. The United Nations Security Council is likely to issue new sanctions on North Korea, and China's assent will be key to both their imposition and ultimate success. Moreover, despite North Korea's status as a pariah state, it has not faced the stiffer sanctions that have been imposed on Iran, for instance.
Even as the world works harder to cut off North Korea’s access to technology and assets that can go toward weapons of mass destruction, it should do more to help ordinary North Koreans. That means shedding more light on North Korea's human rights abuses, offering assistance during humanitarian disasters, and using formal and informal cultural exchanges to give them a glimpse of the world beyond their fenced borders.
This test was another sign of the country’s determination to expand his impoverished country’s nuclear arsenal in violation of United Nations resolutions and seize the limelight when he feels ignored keeping Asia off balance. In recent years, the major powers have expended maximum effort negotiating a landmark agreement to keep Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
That deal, now being implemented, is important, but we think the Americans and their partners erred in largely ignoring the even tougher challenge, and more immediate threat, from North Korea. There is no sign that North Korean has any interest in negotiating about its nuclear weapons, perhaps the country’s only real bargaining chip. But persuading Iran to negotiate on its nuclear programme also looked like a pipe dream until creative diplomacy made it happen. The current approach with North Korea certainly isn’t working.
It is unlikely that this will be North Korea's last nuclear test. But it could mark the start of a more effective peaceful effort to one day make them a thing of the past.

 

North Korea flexing nuclear muscle

Bangladesh like many other countries has expressed its concern over a nuclear test carried out by North Korea recently. The country has in a statement reminded Pyongyang that the nuclear test was in contravention to the UN Security Council Resolutions Nos 1718, 1874, 2087 and 2094 and the non-proliferation regime. It also urged North Korea to refrain from activities that could potentially escalate tension, and to reaffirm its commitment to the maintenance of peace and stability of the region and beyond. Even North Koreas longtime ally China has said it firmly opposes the test, which only adds to Beijings growing list of diplomatic headaches. The United Nations Security Council is likely to issue new sanctions on North Korea, and Chinas assent will be key to both their imposition and ultimate success. Moreover, despite North Koreas status as a pariah state, it has not faced the stiffer sanctions that have been imposed on Iran, for instance. Even as the world works harder to cut off North Koreas access to technology and assets that can go toward weapons of mass destruction, it should do more to help ordinary North Koreans. That means shedding more light on North Koreas human rights abuses, offering assistance during humanitarian disasters, and using formal and informal cultural exchanges to give them a glimpse of the world beyond their fenced borders. This test was another sign of the countrys determination to expand his impoverished countrys nuclear arsenal in violation of United Nations resolutions and seize the limelight when he feels ignored keeping Asia off balance. In recent years, the major powers have expended maximum effort negotiating a landmark agreement to keep Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. That deal, now being implemented, is important, but we think the Americans and their partners erred in largely ignoring the even tougher challenge, and more immediate threat, from North Korea. There is no sign that North Korean has any interest in negotiating about its nuclear weapons, perhaps the countrys only real bargaining chip. But persuading Iran to negotiate on its nuclear programme also looked like a pipe dream until creative diplomacy made it happen. The current approach with North Korea certainly isnt working. It is unlikely that this will be North Koreas last nuclear test. But it could mark the start of a more effective peaceful effort to one day make them a thing of the past.