Foreign ministers to gather for North Korea talks in Vancouver
Posted January 14, 2018 8:52 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – In just a couple of days, Vancouver is set to host a big international meeting on the North Korea situation.
The exact direction of these talks is still a little unclear, according to Paul Evans, a UBC expert on Asia-Pacific Security.
“I think the question we really need to think about is what this is going to mean in the future, whether Canada is going to play a bigger role.”
Some big players will be in town. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland will be here, hosting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and equivalents from more than a dozen nations concerned about North Korea’s weapons program.
Evans says the talks raise questions about our country’s role in international affairs, especially in Asia.
“Those can range from being a participant in tightening further sanctions and potential military quarantine, through to diplomatic initiatives. And as Ms. Freeland has made very clear, that’s Canada’s ambition.”
How successful these talks will be is another question. Evans notes the Chinese don’t believe in discussing North Korea at talks where Kim Jong Un’s representatives aren’t present.
The international summit is being held on January 16th. The aim of the meeting is to discuss strategies to get North Korea into talks to pressure it to end its nuclear program.
