The Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), India, welcomes the joint statement issued on the 12th June 2018 by President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America (USA) and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) at their Singapore summit as an initial step to establishing a lasting and stable peace regime in the Korean Peninsula.
It notes that while the US President Trump has stated his commitment to providing “security guarantees” to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim of DPRK, in return, has reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to “complete denuclearisation” of the Korean Peninsula there is still some way to go in negotiating a final settlement that will receive the full endorsement of the nuclear disarmament movement worldwide. Given the past history of relations between North Korea and the US, the global peace movements and the CNDP will constantly monitor the ongoing process on the ground and seek to promote cumulative progress to the desired end. The CNDP notes with approval that the DPRK has reportedly dismantled its nuclear test site and that the US has promised an immediate end to the war gaming exercises that it routinely undertakes in Northeast Asia with its allies.
The momentum towards global nuclear disarmament will be strengthened if a just settlement is arrived at between Pyongyang and Washington. Which is why necessary pressure by all sections of the nuclear disarmament movement worldwide (which includes the CNDP) as well as by progressive governments remains necessary given that what is potentially to be gained in Northeast Asia can be partially or fully derailed by the heightened nuclear tension in West Asia created by the breakdown in Iran-US relations.
The global peace movements and the CNDP would constantly monitor the actual progress on the ground and keep encouraging the parties concerned to further go ahead till realisation of the goal.
Achin Vanaik
Lalita Ramdas
Jayaprakash ND
Anil Chaudhary
Sukla Sen
13 06 2018