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A10
WORLD NEWSThursday 15 October 2015
China-North Korea ties warm with Pyongyang visit EU expects Britain
C. BODEEN
Associated Press
BEIJING (AP) — The two
men raised their clasped
hands above their heads
like a pair of victorious ath-
letes, as international me-
dia and tens of thousands
of North Koreans looked
on. The gesture by North
Korean leader Kim Jong
Un and a top Chinese of-
ficial during a high-profile
celebration in Pyong-
yang seemed designed to
scotch appearances that
their countries have been
drifting apart.
Now the big question: Will
warmer relations with Chi-
na moderate the North’s
provocative and unpre-
dictable behavior, seen by
many as the biggest threat
to peace and security in
northeast Asia?
Liu Yunshan, the ruling
Communist Party’s fifth-
ranked official, was Kim’s
most prominent foreign
guest at Saturday’s mili-
tary parade and mass rally
marking the 70th anniver-
sary of the founding of the
Worker’s Party of Korea. Liu
and Kim shook hands and
raised their arms together
on the balcony of the pa-
latial People’s Grand Study
House.
The evening before, the
two had met at a state
guesthouse where Liu
handed Kim a personal let-
ter from Chinese President
Xi Jinping renewing the tra-
ditional friendship between
the communist neighbors
and stating China’s desire
to further develop ties, ac-
Turkey detains 2 for tweets in connection to blasts The EU institutions and sev-
SUZAN FRASER
Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) —
Turkish police have de-
tained two people who
sent tweets suggesting
there could be a bomb in
Ankara a day before twin
suicide bombings killed
99 people gathering for a
peace rally, officials said
Wednesday.
The two suspects were
detained after Twitter
provided information on
users of the accounts, a
government official said,
adding that the two have
ties to the Kurdistan Work-
to come up with
cording to China’s official diplomatic gambits. visit has already discour- reform plans fast
Xinhua News Agency. Kim did not respond di- aged a new provocation.
Kim, Xinhua said, respond- rectly, saying only that Weeks before Saturday’s RAF CASERT
ed that Liu’s presence was North Korea wanted parade, comments in Associated Press
a sign of the “deep affec- peace and improved re- North Korean media had BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe-
an Union leaders say they
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, waves his hands with Chinese official Liu Yunshan during are increasingly frustrated
that British Prime Minister
a military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the North’s ruling party and trumpet Kim’s third- David Cameron has not
made concrete propos-
generation leadership in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E) als on reform of the bloc
despite all Britain’s talk
tion” between the sides lations with SouthKorea to led some analysts to sus- of possibly leaving un-
less there is fundamental
and a “great encourage- build its economy and pect the North planned to change.
On the eve of a summit
ment” to the North. improve quality of life. mark the party anniversary of EU leaders where the is-
“I believe this visit will play North Korea has repeated- with a satellite launch that sue is expected to be only
a major role in transmit- ly said it has no intention of would have been viewed lightly touched upon, EU-
Commission President
ting the North Korea-China giving up its limited nuclear internationally as an il- Jean-Claude Juncker
told the EU Parliament
friendship and developing weapons capability. legal test of long-range- Wednesday that “I can’t
say that huge progress
bilateral relations,” Kim was “I think this is a gradual res- missile technology. With has been achieved.”
quoted as saying. toration of a sense of nor- no launch occurring, some Juncker insisted he
Liu closed his remarks by malcy between the two now speculate that Liu’s wants Britain to remain
in the EU but added that
reiterating China’s hopes countries,” said Jingdong presence in Pyongyang “to tango, it takes two. So
we have to dance, and
for a resumption of six-na- Yuan, a specialist on Asia- was a deterrent. our British friends have to
tion talks on ending North- Pacific security at Austra- Given the extreme insu- dance.”
Korea’s nuclear weap- lia’s University of Sydney. larity of the relationship Cameron set out in May to
change the way the EU is
ons programs, something “Bilateral relations have re- — and uncertainty about run and wants to cut the
EU’s political powers over
Pyongyang has refused ally been strained to some the extent of Chinese influ- member states. He plans
to hold a national vote
to do since they bogged extent because of North ence over the North — it’s before the end of 2017
down in 2009, stifling one Korean provocations.” always difficult to assess on whether Britain should
of Beijing’s more successful It’s conceivable that Liu’s the true state of relations. leave theEU — a possibil-
ity that has come to be
known as a Brexit.
Ahead of Thursday’s sum-
mit, Cameron and Junck-
er will have lunch together
as part of a grand tour by
the British leader to Euro-
pean capitals to feel out
what reforms could be put
on the table.
eral member states want
ers’ Party, or PKK, which is on Wednesday. pressed skepticism about to forge ahead and are
fighting Turkey’s security He has said that the main claims of the PKK’s in- eagerly awaiting for Brit-
forces. focus of the investigation volvement, given that the ain comes up with its de-
Authorities were trying to into the blasts is the Is- attack targeted Kurdish mands, so it is clear to ev-
determine whether they lamic State group. He said activists. eryone where any reform
had prior knowledge Wednesday that the PKK Turkish authorities on should be, said one dip-
about the attacks or links were also under suspicion. Wednesday imposed a lomat from an EUnation,
to the bombers, the of- “As the investigation ban on reporting on the who spoke on condition
ficial said. He spoke on deepens, and based es- details of the investiga- of anonymity because
condition of anonymity pecially on certain re- tion. The suicide bomb- talks were set for Thursday.
in line with government sults we have obtained ings struck at the heart Britain wants to touch on
rules that bar officials from through Twitter accounts of the capital just weeks fundamental social and
speaking to journalists and IP addresses, we can before Turkey holds a na- financial legislation and
without authorization. see that both Daesh (IS) tional election on Nov. 1, agreements between
Prime Minister Ahmet Da- and the PKK are groups following an inconclusive member states and make
vutoglu raised the death that are likely to have election in June and after sure nations regain more
toll in the attacks to 99 played an active role,” a summer of violence that autonomous decision-
from the previous 97, dur- Davutoglu said. has claimed hundreds of making at the expense
ing a television interview Analysts, however, ex- lives.q of EU institutions.q