International Conference “Aggravation of the Situation in Eastern Asia and Ways to Solve the Crisis” held in the Gorbachev Foundation

     On November 10, 2006, the Gorbachev Foundation held a one-day International Conference titled “Aggravation of the Situation in Eastern Asia and Ways to Solve the Crisis.” The Conference was organized within the framework of the “Forum on Globalization Issues,” a joint project between the Gorbachev Foundation and the Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies, Japan, carried out with the support of LG International Corp. 
     The conference was attended by representatives of the Moscow State Institute for International Relations (MGIMO); Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies, Japan; the Gorbachev Foundation and the Gorbachev Foundation-Japan; Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Institute of Far Eastern Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences; Tama University, Japan; Institute of Oriental Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; foreign embassies in Moscow; the Russian-Japan Center for Joint Projects; and LG International Corp; and members of the Russian and foreign media. Co-chairing the meeting were Mikhail Gorbachev and Tadahiro Sekimoto, Chairman, Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies, Japan.
     Speaking at the conference, Mikhail Gorbachev said that the situation is quite favorable now for solving the North Korean problem, in particular, now that the U.S. Democrats have won control over both houses of Congress.
    “I think we should factor in the change in the top leadership in Japan, North Korea’s request to lift sanctions and the U.S. Congress mid-term election that has just taken place. The fact that now the United States has a Republican President, while the House of Representatives and the Senate are controlled by the Democrats represents significant changes,” Mikhail Gorbachev said.
    Mikhail Gorbachev noted that “steps were taken under Bill Clinton that could have improved the situation.” “However, George W. Bush came and started arguing that the United States was talking from the position of weakness and a tougher and more demanding approach was needed; but now we can say that it has in effect yielded no results,” noted the former Soviet leader.
     In his view, now George W. Bush “will have to listen both to the Senate and the House of Representatives, if proposals are made there to advance this process.”
    Mikhail Gorbachev also supposed that a very tough stand towards North Korea might have played its role in forcing the country to conduct nuclear tests, but now it might probably be willing to continue negotiations. “The request by the North Korean leadership can be seen as a kind of condition for the continuation of talks. They seem to be in a situation where they are willing to engage in serious conversation, but cannot do so until the sanctions are lifted, particularly, in the humanitarian sphere,” Mikhail Gorbachev said.
     In his opinion, solving the North Korean problem “needs a fresh look at all this.” “We need to somewhat rise over what we have all already experienced. Now the moment is right and presents new chances not only to improve the negotiating process, but to achieve real results,” Mikhail Gorbachev concluded.
    Transcript of the conference (in Russian) will be posted on the Gorbachev Foundation’s Web site.