Dialogue welcomed by the world

Trump open to talks with DPRK 'under right circumstances'

The Korean Peninsula has recently enjoyed a rare reconciliatory atmosphere. Less than a week after the reopening of a cross-border phonelink, the two neighbors held high-level talks on Tuesday, the first since December 2015, at the truce village of Panmunjom.

Coming after a two-year hiatus, the talks offered a much-desired hope for inter-Korean relations.

During the talks, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea agreed to send a high-level delegation to the Winter Olympics to be hosted next month in Pyeongchang of the Republic of Korea.

The two sides also agreed to ease military tensions on the peninsula and discussed possible reunions of separated families during the upcoming Lunar New Year.

It is heart-warming even to imagine such a picture: In the ski resort town of Pyeongchang, athletes, cheering squads and art performers from the two countries gather to celebrate sportsmanship.

The UN Security Council on Wednesday welcomed the latest interactions on the peninsula, but remained adamant in upholding sanctions against Pyongyang. "Members of the (Security) Council welcomed the latest steps and communications that have occurred between the DPRK and the ROK," Kazakh ambassador to the United Nations Kairat Umarov, who serves as the rotating president of the Security Council for this month, told reporters after closed-door consultations of the council.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he saw "a lot of good energy" from the inter-Korean talks.

"A lot of good talks are going on right now, a lot of good energy. I see a lot of good energy. I like it very much what I am seeing," Trump said.

And during a phone call with his ROK counterpart Moon Jae-in, Trump expressed his openness to hold talks with Pyongyang "at the appropriate time, under the right circumstances", the White House said on Wednesday.

Beijing on Wednesday hailed the positive outcome of talks between Seoul and Pyongyang.

"It is encouraging that the two countries show goodwill and shake hands at a time when the situation of the Korean Peninsula is tense," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

"China, as a close neighbor of the Korean Peninsula, welcomes and supports the moves taken by the DPRK and the ROK to thaw their relationship."

An opportunity

He called on both countries to take the upcoming Winter Olympics as an opportunity to keep improving ties, made positive efforts to ease regional tensions and push the peninsula issue back to the right track of settlement through dialogue."

And the international community should fully understand and support such efforts, Lu added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday also welcomed the achievements of inter-Korean talks.

"We express hope that their implementation will contribute to the de-escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and ensure stability in this subregion," the ministry said in a statement.

(China Daily 01/12/2018 page11)