July 30, 2018
Don't Rush to a Peace Treaty on North Korea
Today’s sixty-fifth anniversary of the signing of the Korean armistice is fueling speculation that an official end to the war may be forthcoming. There is value in signaling intent toward such a treaty in the future, but it would be foolhardy for the United States to rush into dismantling the armistice and the relative stability it has provided—especially before North Korea has undertaken any significant denuclearization.
It is self-evident that of the two prongs of its North Korea policy, the Trump administration has invested a great deal more thought and energy into “maximum pressure” than it has into “engagement.” Six weeks out from the June 12 Singapore summit, both President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un are reportedly disappointed with the rate of progress that negotiations have produced. Recent satellite imagery that purportedly shows North Korea dismantling its Sohae Satellite Launching Station provides just a glimmer of any meaningful step toward denuclearization.
The glacial pace of progress comes as little surprise to most U.S. experts who were understandably concerned about the lack of preparation prior to the historic meeting between Trump and Kim. Summitry certainly gave the two adversarial leaders an opportunity to break the ice and initiate diplomacy, but it was not going to resolve decades of hostility or bring North Korea’s treasured nuclear program to a grinding halt. Indeed, North Korea’s negotiation strategy is predicated on using détente as a means of demanding more for doing next to nothing. Clearly, Pyongyang delayed the promised return of the remains of some U.S. servicemen missing in action to reinforce the anniversary of the armistice it hopes to replace.
Read the Full Article at The National Interest
More from CNAS
-
“The Ayatollah Has No Clothes” – with Rich Goldberg and Richard Fontaine
Richard Fontaine is CEO of the Center for American Security, joins Call Me Back to assess the threat FROM Iran and the threat TO Iran. Listen to the full episode on Call Me ...
By Richard Fontaine
-
Lost Decade - The U.S. Pivot to Asia and the Rise of Chinese Power with Richard Fontaine
Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, joins Coffee & Conflict to discuss his book The U.S. Pivot to Asia and the Rise of Chinese Power. He dives int...
By Richard Fontaine
-
Sharper: Allies and Partners
Amid intensifying geopolitical challenges, the United States is finding new ways to address security issues by cultivating and strengthening alliances and partnerships. How ca...
By Gwendolyn Nowaczyk & Charles Horn
-
What Can the US Expect From Sri Lanka’s New President?
Washington views Sri Lanka as a “lynchpin” of its Indo-Pacific strategy and seeks a partner committed to strengthening the democratic process and economic governance while pro...
By Keerthi Martyn