Welcome surprise

The tense situation on the Korean Peninsula took a turn for the better with Bill Clinton's unannounced visit to Pyongyang on Tuesday.

The warm exchanges between the former US president and the top leadership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in a "cordial atmosphere", as well as the release of two American women journalists detained since March, point to not only a breakthrough in bilateral relations, but also a halt to heightened tensions caused by Pyongyang's successive provocative acts ranging from a nuclear test to the firing of a barrage of missiles.

This development should be a welcome sign to nations involved in the Six-Party Talks. The visit, to a large extent, has made any eruption of military conflict as a result of miscalculation unlikely.