MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Andrei Fedyashin)
Pyongyang has launched another ballistic missile into space. By and large, it is not important whether it has brought a satellite into space or its warhead fell into the ocean.
North Korea has done what it promised, undeterred by warnings or threats although it was strongly advised not to do it. It is strange that Japan, the United States, South Korea, and European countries, among others, were so indignant with this launch that they convened an emergency session of the UN Security Council, which is now deciding how to punish North Korea.
North Korea has always been consistent about ignoring all warnings "not to do," "not to continue," and "not to develop."
What North Korea has done is far beyond its vivid lack of tradition. And this is very timely because it can bring the West, primarily the United States, to change its attitude to Pyongyang. It is clear that it makes no sense to deal with North Korea as before. This does not produce results because the North Korean leaders have nothing left to lose. No one talked to Pyongyang seriously before. It was dictated terms and expected to produce results. Incidentally, North Korea is not the only country in this position. U.S. attitude to Iran, Belarus, and Syria used to be pretty much the same but now the United States is ready to switch to direct dialogue with them. Why not with North Korea?
For Barrack Obama the North Korean nuclear problem will be no easier than the Iranian nuclear program, relations with Russia and restoration of trust in the United States in the world.
Probably without realizing it and not hoping to achieve this, North Koreans have substantially grounded all expectations linked with the 44th U.S. president to the benefit of everyone because admiration for Obama has become too procrastinated. Needless to say, he is absolutely extraordinary against the background of George W. Bush's. Never in the world has the attitude towards the new U.S. president has been so good. Never before a president who was treated with such dislike as Bush was succeeded by a president who was so admired as Obama. Such a switch from one extreme to another has had some negative consequences. The new administration has become convinced that Obama is so good that the world is obliged to sit with him at the negotiating table just out of gratitude that it is dealing with Obama rather than Bush.
Omaba said that he came to Europe to listen and to learn. At all recent summits - G-20, NATO, and EU-United States - Europeans have already given him some lessons of real diplomacy but he got far less than he had hoped. The launch of the North Korean missile shows that it is possible although not easy to make the world nuclear-free. It is only necessary to consider the interests of the other side, no matter how unpleasant it may seem. To achieve this, it is necessary to put on the table of six-lateral talks (United States, Russia, China, Japan, South and North Korea) a draft treaty that would suit all sides.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.
