A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Thursday, May 4, 2017
China urges all sides in N.Korea standoff to 'stop irritating' one another
FILE PHOTO - A North Korean flag flies on a mast at the Permanent Mission of North Korea in Geneva October 2, 2014. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
China on Wednesday urged all parties in the Korean standoff to stay calm
and "stop irritating each other," a day after North Korea said the
United States was pushing the region to the brink of nuclear war.
North Korea's state media published a rare, strong, criticism of China
on Wednesday, saying Chinese state media commentaries calling for
tougher sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear program were undermining
relations with Beijing and worsening tensions.
The United States has urged China, North Korea's only major ally, to do
more to rein in its neighbour's nuclear and missile programs, which have
prompted an assertive response from the Trump administration, warning
that an "era of strategic patience" is over.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Wednesday that Washington
was working on more sanctions against North Korea if Pyongyang takes
steps that merit a new response. He also warned other countries their
firms could face so-called secondary sanctions for doing illicit
business with Pyongyang.
Tillerson said the Trump administration had been "leaning hard into
China ... to test their willingness to use their influence, their
engagement with the regime."
Diplomats said this week Washington was negotiating with China on a
possible stronger U.N. Security Council response - such as new sanctions
- to North Korea's missile tests.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday U.N.
resolutions were clear that further measures would be taken in the event
of more nuclear or missile tests.
The United States has sent a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to Korean
waters and a pair of strategic U.S. bombers flew training drills with
South Korea and Japan in another show of strength this week.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang called the situation "highly complex" and sensitive.
"The urgent task is to lower temperatures and resume talks," he said.
"We again urge all relevant parties to remain calm and exercise
restraint, stop irritating each other, work hard to create an atmosphere
for contact and dialogue between all sides, and seek a return to the
correct path of dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible."
The bomber flights coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump raising
eyebrows when he said he would be "honoured" to meet North Korean leader
Kim Jong Un in the right circumstances, and as his CIA director landed
in South Korea for talks.
North Korea said the bombers conducted "a nuclear bomb dropping drill
against major objects" in its territory at a time when Trump and "other
U.S. warmongers are crying out for making a preemptive nuclear strike."
"The reckless military provocation is pushing the situation on the
Korean peninsula closer to the brink of nuclear war," North Korea's
official KCNA news agency said.
A commentary on KCNA on Wednesday took aim at China and state media
articles it said had attempted to shift the blame to Pyongyang for
"deteriorated relations" between China and North Korea and U.S.
deployment of strategic assets.
It also accused China of "hyping up" damage caused by North Korean
nuclear tests to China's three northeastern provinces and said the
program was needed for the "existence and development" of the country
and "can never be changed nor shaken."
Tension on the Korean peninsula has been high for weeks, driven by
concern that North Korea might conduct its sixth nuclear test in
defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
CHINA OPPOSES THAAD
U.S. officials told Reuters the U.S. military's THAAD anti-missile
defence system had reached initial operational capacity in South Korea,
although it would not be fully operational for some months.
China has repeatedly expressed its opposition to the system, whose
powerful radar it says can reach inside Chinese territory, even as Trump
has praised Chinese President Xi Jinping for his efforts to rein in
North Korea.
Trump has urged other Asian countries to help pressure North Korea and
spoke last weekend with the leaders of Thailand, Singapore and the
Philippines.
He drew criticism on Monday when he said he would be "honoured" to meet North Korea's young leader.
"If it would be appropriate for me to meet with him, I would absolutely,
I would be honoured to do it," Trump told Bloomberg News.
Trump did not say what conditions would be needed for such a meeting or
when it could happen, but White House spokesman Sean Spicer said
"clearly conditions are not there right now."
Washington has said any future talks on North Korea must based on its willingness to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
Trump warned in an interview with Reuters on Thursday a "major, major
conflict" with North Korea was possible, while China has said the Korean
situation could slip out of control.
In a telephone call with his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte, Xi
urged all sides to return to talks as soon as possible, Chinese state
radio reported.
North Korea on Saturday conducted its fourth successive failed missile
launch since March. It has conducted two nuclear tests and dozens of
missile tests since the beginning of 2016.
The U.S. ambassador to Indonesia, Joseph R. Donovan, told reporters
Indonesia was among several countries Washington was urging to take a
"fresh look" at their North Korea ties.
Trump also spoke on Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and
discussed "how best to resolve the very dangerous situation in North
Korea", the White House said.
(Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom, Yeganeh Torbati and Steve
Holland in WASHINGTON and Tom Allard in JAKARTA; Writing by Nick Macfie
and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Robert Birsel and Grant McCool)