Musings From Abroad

Aborted romance? North Korea accuses US of ‘gangster-like mindset’

North Korea slammed what it called the United States’ “gangster-like mindset” in denuclearization talks just hours after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described the high-level negotiations as “productive” and insisted progress was made

Published

5 years ago

July 8, 2018

Africa News Watch

“We had many hours of productive conversations,” Pompeo told reporters Saturday in Pyongyang before boarding a flight to Tokyo. “These are complicated issues, but we’ve made progress on almost all the central issues. Some places, a great deal of progress. Other places, there’s still more work to be done.”

North Korea, however, poured cold water on the talks, saying the “attitude” of the US was “regrettable” and not in the spirit of the June 12 summit in Singapore between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“We expected the US to bring constructive measures to build confidence in accordance with the spirit of the US-NK Summit,” the statement carried by state-run news agency KCNA said, according to a CNN translation of the Korean version of the statement. “However, the attitude of the US in the first high-level talks held on the 6th and 7th were indeed regrettable.”

The statement added, according to an English-language version of the statement released by KCNA: “The US is fatally mistaken if it went to the extent of regarding that the (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) would be compelled to accept, out of its patience, the demands reflecting its gangster-like mindset.”

The country called the outcome of the discussion “worrisome” and argued that the “cancerous issues” the US delegation raised were the same ones that had “amplified” distrust and the risk of war with past administrations, resulting in previous talks ending in failure.

He added, “No one walked away from that, they’re still equally committed, Chairman Kim is still committed.”

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Musings From Abroad

China supports South Africa on BRICS summit— Report

Published

16 hours ago

June 9, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

Local media in China are reporting that the Asian giant will support South Africa to host the BRICS summit later this year.

South Africa has come under diplomatic pleasure following its continued relations with Russia, with the United States alleging recently that it aided Russia with ammunition in the ongoing Ukraine war.

South Africa is under the spotlight as it decides if it would arrest Russian President, Vladimir Putin during his expected visit for the BRICS Summit in August after the International Criminal Court placed a warrant on the European leader.

But with China now backing South Africa’s stance in the international space, particularly in hosting the BRICS summit and in relations with Putin’s expected visit, it may find some courage to rebuff the West.

Chinese President, Xi Jinping is reported to have had a phone conversation with South Africa’s Ramaphosa with assurances communicated.

Musings From Abroad

Italy, Netherlands, EU set to announce aid package for Tunisia

Published

16 hours ago

June 9, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni has said that a fresh aid package to Tunisia would be announced by the European Union alongside her country and the Netherlands on Sunday.

Meloni, who recently ended a visit to Tunisia, will visit again on Sunday with her Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte and the EU Commission’s Ursula von der Leyen with high hopes.

“It seems to me that important steps forward are being taken,” Meloni said.

There are concerns that the delay with the loan could deepen Tunisia’s financial crisis and escalate migrants’ crisis across the Mediterranean Sea in search of a better life in Europe.

Creditors, which are largely European, want President Kais Saied to accept the terms of financial reforms by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for its loan which will unlock extra funds in bilateral aid for the country.

Creditors are also refusing to provide Tunisia with long-term budget support unless the IMF agrees to a deal that assures them of repayment of its debts. They have, however, given Tunisia smaller sums to help it purchase food and fuel.

President Saied announced last week that additional taxes would be implemented as a stopgap measure before an expected IMF loan.

Tunisia is in debt to the tune of roughly 80% of its GDP, and the IMF agreed in principle last year to a new loan of nearly $2 billion to help it overcome its severe financial crisis.