Russia, China and US in pow-wow over Korea
27 Nov 2010
With the US nuclear–powered aircraft carrier, the USS George Washington, departing its naval base in Yokosuka, Japan, and setting sail for exercises with the South Korean navy in the Yellow Sea, Chinese and Russian foreign ministers engaged each other in talks in a bid to deflect escalating tensions in the Korean Peninsula. In tandem, US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, also engaged her Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi.
The carrier group led by USS George Washington arrives in the Yellow Sea on Sunday to begin military manoeuvres with South Korea. The American carrier-led battle group exited its base for a show of muscle off the Korean Peninsula coast after an unprovoked artillery attack by North Korea on the South Korean island of Yeongpyeong recently.
South Korea not only responded with a counter barrage, but also replaced its defence minister whom the public chided for what it felt was an overly mild response to North Korean provocation. South Korean military officials have said that a revision of the rules of military engagement is on the cards which will allow a more aggressive response to any future North Korean provocation.
The exercises will extend from 28 November through to 1 December.
The North Koreans have issued shrill warnings about the escalation of conflict in the area and alarmed 'strategic ally' China is now working the phone lines with Russia, a proximate power in the region, as well as with the United States, to deflect tensions which could easily spiral out of control. While the US shields South Korea through military pacts and troop presence in the country, China treats North Korea as its protectorate.
The Russian foreign ministry issued a statement after foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi engaged each other in conversation. "It is of utmost necessity not to allow the further escalation of the situation and work toward the creation of conditions to ease the tension in relations between the two Koreas," the statement said.
