Valdai Club

The North Koreans made a “present” for the Russian and Chinese presidents, but primarily for the American one, by launching an intercontinental ballistic missile on the US’ Independence Day, Georgy Toloraya, Director of the Center for Asian Strategy at the Institute of Economics, Russian Academy of  Sciences, told valdaiclub.com. “It’s good that Russia and China reacted quickly to this and offered solutions of the problem,” he added.

On July 4, North Korea announced that it tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-24. The test was carried out at the order of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and was successful. Gravely concerned by these actions, Russia and China suggested that North Korea declares a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests, and recommended that the US and South Korea withhold from large-scale joint exercises. The suggestions were made in a joint statement of the Russian and Chinese ministries of foreign affairs.

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Toloraya noted that it is unknown, how acceptable North Korea still finds the “double freeze” initiative, which it proposed last year, and which was later again proposed by China. “Although it is possible that after the ballistic missile test, the North Koreans will decide that it is possible to stop,” he said.

Because the ICBM launch coincided with the Chinese president Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia, Toloraya noted that “the North Koreans made a ‘gift’ for the Chinese and Russian presidents, although mainly for the American president, by launching the intercontinental ballistic missile on US Independence Day.” However, this did not hinder the Russian and Chinese leaders from conducting productive talks.