Caspian Region Nations Hail Historic Inter-Korean Summit

The Caspian Sea region nations of Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Iran have hailed the April 27 historic inter-Korean summit between Democratic People’s Republic of Korea leader Kim Jong-un and Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in that ended with an agreement to work towards complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

“We welcome the summit between the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We hope that the consultations will facilitate the strengthening of peace, security and the stability on the Korean Peninsula,” Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Hikmat Haciyev said.

The Kremlin hailed the meeting of the two Korean leaders in an effort to reduce the tension, describing it as a significant step by Seoul and Pyongyang towards the national reconciliation and the establishment of strong relations, which are inherently valuable.

Russia said it positively view the agreements included in the Panmunjom Declaration on the results of the inter-Korean summit and underscored its readiness to facilitate the establishment of practical cooperation between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea, including through the development of tripartite cooperation in the railway, electrical power, gas and other sectors.

“The meeting confirmed the determination of the parties to intensify the political and diplomatic process to resolve the entire complex of problems of the Korean Peninsula, including the nuclear one. We will continue, in coordination with the involved countries, to make efforts in this direction along the lines of the Russian-Chinese road map for the Korean settlement. We believe that this work should lead to the resumption of multilateral negotiations in the interests of setting up a system of peace and security in Northeast Asia,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The process of unification of the two Koreas, first of all, depends on Seoul's dependence on the United States, which allows only one option - the absorption of the DPRK by South Korea. The Americanization of the entire peninsula is not needed either by Russia, or China, the director of the Institute of Contemporary State Development, Dmitry Solonnikov explained.

The issue of unification is more complicated for Seoul, which will have to get rid of dependence on the United States. For Washington, only one option is acceptable: the DPRK becomes part of South Korea and also falls under their influence. That is, it is not a merger, but an acquisition. An alternative option is when Seoul is freed from the influence of the United States, and then reunification is possible, although it is difficult to do so. To do this, South Korea needs to change a lot, Solonnikov said.

Another Caspian Sea region nation, Kazakhstan, which enjoys close ties with South Korea, in a statement welcomed the inter-Korean summit and highly valued the results of the talks aimed at resuming inter-Korean dialogue and strengthening global security.

Kazakhstan supports the process of settling the situation on the Korean peninsula through dialogue and talks and believes that a political and diplomatic solution is the only true way of addressing complicated international issues, the statement from the nation’s Foreign Ministry read.

"Kazakhstan as a country that has experience in nuclear disarmament also welcomes the Panmunjom Declaration for the Peace, Prosperity, and Unification on the Korean Peninsula and fully supports the agreement between the two countries on seeking the denuclearization of the peninsula," the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said.

Spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry Bahram Qassemi also hailed, as he put it, the thaw in relations between North and South Koreas, warning that the talks should continue, “without U.S. meddling.”

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has always called for detente on the Korean peninsula and welcomes the efforts of the leaders of the two countries for the normalization of relations," Bahram Qassemi said on April 27.

Qassemi added that Iran deeply believes that the peace talks on the Korean Peninsula should continue without U.S. meddling and within the path laid out by the leaders of the two Koreas.

He warned against trust in U.S. President Donald Trump because "Iran's 40-year experience shows that the U.S. cannot be trusted" and "does not live up to its international obligations".

Qassemi said the April 27 summit between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in was a decisive step in the right direction, which can contribute to sustainable peace and security in the world and the region.

"Iran's principle policy has always been to oppose the manufacture, possession, maintenance and use of weapons of mass destruction and support any attempt to free the world from such weapons," he added.

A series of missile tests conducted by Pyongyang in 2016 and 2017 aggravated tension between North Korea and South Koreas with the rest of the world siding with Seoul in denouncing Pyongyang’s nuclear tests. The expansion of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs led to stringent international sanctions spearheaded by the U.S.A.

It came as a surprise when Kim Jong-un, in his 2018 New Year address, expressed his willingness to send a delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea and improve inter-Korean ties. Seoul hailed Kim's offer, and a series of meetings made it possible for North Korea to participate in the Games. This renewed relationship continued in the aftermath of the Olympics, eventually leading to the announcement of an inter-Korean summit.

On April 20, Kim Jong-un declared that North Korea would halt nuclear and missile tests, since they were no longer "necessary" as it had completed building a "state nuclear force.”