The Handshake with Putin is, above all, a Wink to Trump

Concrete results are expected from the summit, the North Korean ruler, Kim Jong-un with Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok. For negotiations on the nuclear disarmament of the Russian President is the wrong address. While the US is insisting on a rapid complete denuclearization, wishes also to Putin of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. But she has for him is not a high priority. Certainly not as long as US troops are stationed in South Korea.

foremost concern was The easing of UN economic sanctions, Kim's in there, not Putin can have – at least not officially, the decisions of the security Council to retain him. In addition, Kim Moscow know this question already on his side; the Minister of foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov has already called for loosening the economic embargo. At least occasionally, private company want to secretly Oil from Russia to North Korea. Whether with the acquiescence of Moscow, happens, is not known. Officially, Russia is adhering to the sanctions.

Kim can present itself on the international stage

the third theme, about the Putin and Kim talk, more economic cooperation, are to be expected, no results. Their two economies are too similar, you have little to offer. Russia's main exports are Oil and Gas; those of North Korea were, until the sanctions were tightened, coal and raw materials. What North Korea needs, are modern, highly industrialized Partner, in search of a cheap production site and its dilapidated infrastructure and build help.

The only promising large-scale project, the Kim and Putin could drive, would be the thought of linking of the South Korean railway through North Korea's leading TRANS-Siberian railway. This connection would allow the industry of South Korea, to send their exports on the Rail to Europe. It would be cheaper and faster than the sea. The fact Putin was with his call for three-sided cooperation between Russia and the two Koreas. But for the time being, the sanctions Moscow to ban any new joint economic projects with Pyongyang.

Video: The summit has begun

Kim and Putin meet. (Video: Reuters)

Nevertheless, the summit of Vladivostok relevance. The Meeting offers the until recently completely isolated Kim the next opportunity to present itself on the international stage as head of state. To his audience at home. He is a partner of the Great of this world. At the same time, the two normalize the complex relations of their countries. In small steps, North Korea, previously a blind spot on the map North-East Asia progresses, to a almost normal neighbors. Only to Japan, Pyongyang still does not have a wire. But this is not just to Kim.

in Addition, Kim is demonstrating to the American President Donald Trump, that he has Alternatives to a dialogue with Washington. Russia is not an attractive Alternative, but Trump should try again sometime, to force North Korea with sanctions and military threats in the knee, they lose credibility, if Kim is laughing with Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to photograph. (Editorial Tamedia)

Created: 25.04.2019, 14:57 PM