North Korea shock claim: Get America OUT OF THE PICTURE for peace talks, analyst says

Charles Shoebridge said US policy in the era of Donald Trump was proving a distraction from ongoing talks between North and South Korea.

In particular, Mr Shoebridge singled out the 20 foreign ministers of the Vancouver Group, which is spearheaded by the United States, and which has so far been sceptical about the possibility of a positive outcome, despite the suggestions of a breakthrough in recent days.

US policy is a distraction from the ongoing Korean talks, which Seoul hopes will eventually lead to the denuclearisation of the entire peninsula, security analyst Charles Shoebridge told RT.

Mr Shoebridge, who worked in counter-terrorism with the British Army and the Metropolitan Police until he retired in 2000, explained: ”In Vancouver, the former allies of South Korea are tightening the noose, increasing the rhetoric, raising the temperature.”

He was particularly disquieted by the suggestion that the Vancouver group was considering imposing unilateral sanctions against Pyongyang above and beyond those sanctioned by the United Nations.

The US has stressed it will not only apply pressure economically and diplomatically, but is also ready to issue military threats in a bid to force North Korea to disarm.

Meanwhile President Donald Trump, who in 2017 become embroiled in an escalating war of words with North Korean leader Kim Jung-Il, has cast doubt on the value of talks between the North and South, warning it is “very possible” both sides may not find a resolution – an attitude Mr Shoebridge suggested was less than helpful.

He claimed Seoul and Pyongyang could achieve much more if the US stops interfering in what he called their “considerable diplomatic achievement”.

He added: “These talks themselves started on the back of South Korea agreeing to persuade America to at least pause its military exercises.

“It appears to be the case when the interests and the foreign policy, and the actions of the United States are put to one side, local players are, to some degree at least, able to start finding local solutions and make some progress towards securing their local interests, which are usually peace and stability.”

Neither China or Russia were invited to the summit in Vancouver this week, and their so-called “double freeze” solution, which was proposed last year, whereby the US and its allies halting all major military exercises in the region in exchange for Pyongyang suspending its nuclear and ballistic missile program, has been rejected out of hand.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: “When major parties to the Korean Peninsula issue are not present, such a meeting will not contribute to properly resolving the issue.

“All parties should cherish the hard-won momentum of easing tension on the peninsula, support the efforts made by the DPRK and the ROK in improving ties, and double their commitment in alleviating the situation and promoting dialogues.”

In an indication that tensions between the neighbouring countries were easing somewhat, North Korea yesterday agreed to allow a joint women’s ice hockey team to participate at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics next month, and march together with their southern neighbour under a “unified Korea” flag at the opening ceremony.

The North will also send a 150-member delegation of athletes and cheerleaders to the Paralympic games in March. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has said he is hopeful the improved dialogue could lead to wider-ranging discussions aimed at resolving the nuclear stand-off.