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A2 UP FRONT
Monday 11 deceMber 2017

US wants world to isolate North Korea, so what’s that mean?

By MATT PENNINGTON to war.” At the same time,
Associated Press she pushed for others to cut
WASHINGTON (AP) — When trade and diplomatic ties
President Donald Trump’s with Pyongyang.
U.N. ambassador recently U.S. officials say doing so
urged the world to sever would stop North Korea
diplomatic ties with North from abusing diplomatic
Korea, she was sketchy on privileges that allow it to
the details: Should all em- raise revenues or conduct
bassies close? How about illegal business in support of
those providing the U.S. in- its nuclear and missile pro-
telligence from the largely grams. It’s also intended to
inscrutable country? And exploit North Korean sen-
what of Sweden, which sitivity to its international
helps with imprisoned standing.
Americans? But the U.S. has given
Nikki Haley’s recent call mixed messages on what
to action underscores the form concretely the isola-
challenge for the United tion should take.
States as it tries to advance Haley called all govern-
a nonmilitary strategy ments to sever ties. Other
for resolving the nuclear U.S. officials say the em-
standoff with North Korea. phasis is on getting North
Isolating the reclusive, to- Korean diplomats expelled
talitarian state has been U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks at United Nations headquarters. When from overseas postings, not
Haley recently urged the world to sever diplomatic ties with North Korea, she was sketchy on
a central component of the details: Should all embassies close? How about those providing the U.S. intelligence from on closing foreign embas-
the U.S. plan, even though the largely inscrutable country? And what of Sweden, which helps with imprisoned Americans? sies in Pyongyang. To date,
Washington says it remains Haley’s call to action underscores the challenge for the United States as it tries to advance a no embassies have shut
open to talks. nonmilitary strategy for resolving the nuclear standoff with North Korea. down in the North Korean
Like international econom- (AP Photo/Richard Drew) capital as a result of the
ic penalties, the Trump ad- an ambassadors from their experts played down ex- strategy they’ve called U.S. campaign.
ministration believes the countries. Haley said Por- pectations that Feltman, “maximum pressure and According to research by
diplomatic isolation serves tugal and the United Arab formerly a senior American engagement.” If North Ko- the Washington-based
two purposes. Emirates have suspended diplomat, could offer a rea signals a willingness to East-West Center and the
It’s designed to punish diplomatic relations. Others breakthrough as the stand- negotiate, now that Kim National Committee on
North Korean leader Kim have cut trade and secu- off over the North’s nuclear has declared that he has North Korea, North Korea
Jong Un for developing an rity ties. weapons threatens to spiral “realized the great historic maintains diplomatic rela-
atomic arsenal of bombs But North Korea isn’t and into war. Feltman carried cause of completing the tions with 167 countries. It
and intercontinental mis- won’t be completely iso- no message from Wash- state nuclear force,” how has embassies in 47 foreign
siles that potentially could lated. ington, State Department will the U.S. respond? capitals. Twenty-four coun-
deliver nuclear warheads Last month, China, whose spokesman Heather Nauert “This is probably as good a tries have embassies in
anywhere in the United once-close relationship said. time as any to try to pivot Pyongyang, and those in-
States. U.S. officials also with North Korea has been Yet Feltman’s visit, which to engagement,” said Su- clude American rivals and
contend that freezing out strained by its adoption of included an audience zanne DiMaggio at the friends.
North Korea could drive tough U.N. sanctions, sent with Kim’s foreign minister, New America think tank, “If the U.S. is really serious
Kim’s government to seek its highest level envoy to added to questions about who has been involved in about depriving North Ko-
negotiations. Pyongyang in two years. how effectively the U.S. several rounds of unofficial rea of diplomatic relations,
“We do know they care a North Korea also recently can isolate North Korea. talks with North Korean of- it must start with its own
lot about their international welcomed a Russian par- Feltman left Pyongyang on ficials. She said the adminis- closest ally, Great Britain,”
reputation,” said Mark To- liamentary delegation, in Saturday after four days of tration has focused almost said Artyom Lukin, a North
kola, a former No. 2 at the a sign of increasing con- talks with the North Korean completely on pressure. Korea expert at Far Eastern
U.S. Embassy in South Ko- tacts between the former Foreign Ministry. “I have to Kim’s declaration followed Federal University in Vladi-
rea. Cold War partners. And the brief the secretary-general North Korea’s test last vostok, Russia.
Trump’s team has chalked North just hosted the most first,” he said when asked month of its most power- Since the U.S. has no diplo-
up some successes in nar- senior U.N. official to visit in for details of his trip. ful intercontinental missile matic presence of its own
rowing the North’s diplo- years: Jeffrey Feltman, the Also unresolved is whether yet, which led Haley, at in North Korea — the two
matic reach. Mexico, Peru, undersecretary-general for Trump and his top advis- an emergency U.N. Secu- sides remain technically in
Italy, Spain, and Kuwait political affairs. ers have a game plan rity Council meeting, to a state of war — it relies to
have expelled North Kore- Even before he departed, for the second half of a speak of a world “closer some extent on Britain,q