ID :
151168
Thu, 11/25/2010 - 11:14
Auther :

Australia blasts N. Korea attack, asks China to restrain ally+

SYDNEY, Nov. 23 Kyodo -
Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd on Thursday called North's Korea's
shelling of a South Korean island a ''real threat'' and urged China to apply
maximum pressure on its traditional ally to stop jeopardizing regional peace
and stability.
''It's not just outrageous -- it is a fundamental violation of the laws which
govern international relations -- and is a real threat...to peace and
security,'' he said of Tuesday's ''unprovoked'' attack in an interview on the
3AW Mornings program.
Rudd also said he worries ''if the North Koreans have anything else up their
sleeve.''
''I'm concerned about the impact of any further destabilizing acts by the
North, given that tensions are now running so high,'' he said.
Rudd noted that Tuesday's attack comes after the North torpedoed a South Korean
naval vessel in March with the loss of nearly 50 lives, while it also follows
recent reports that the North is pursuing uranium enrichment as part of its
nuclear weapons program.
''You don't have to be a huge historian in international relations to know that
when you have a series of acts which are provocative and aggressive, that just
elevates tensions. And then if you add to that another provocative act, it
makes it harder and harder to manage responses,'' he said.
But the minister said there is reason for hope that calmer heads will prevail
once again.
Rudd lauded South Korean President Mee Kyung Bak for his government's ''calm,
responsible and measured responses'' even though he is under tremendous
domestic pressure to deal resolutely with the latest North Korean provocation.
''He's an enormously restrained and careful and considered individual, but if
you add to this further North Korean provocative acts, then you've got to be
concerned about what then happens in terms of action and reaction. That's what
we're deeply concerned about,'' the minister said.
Rudd said all countries should be ''absolutely firm in their response'' to the
latest incident and he singled out China, saying it has a crucial role to play.
''The Chinese have a particular relationship with North Korea going back to the
days of the Korean War. I think it's increasingly important for China to bring
its influence to bear on the North Korean regime. The simple reason is: they
don't seem to be listening to anybody else much.''
''It's time that they heard a strong voice from Beijing -- because this is
going to be necessary to try and moderate their behavior.''
China's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday called for restraint on the part of all
parties, which Rudd said is ''consistent with the balanced position they sought
to take with the sinking of the South Korean naval vessel.''
''But my simple message to our friends in Beijing is that the world now needs
China to bring more influence to bear on North Korea,'' he said.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's Foreign Minister Murray McCully on Wednesday similarly
expressed ''outrage'' over North Korea's shelling of the civilian population of
Yeonpyeong Island and said it represents ''a new and dangerous level of
aggression'' by Pyongyang, coming as it did in the wake of its sinking of the
South Korean warship Cheonan on March 26.
''This is a time for cool heads in order to avoid this clash escalating into a
more serious threat to the stability of the region,'' McCully said.
Without mentioning China by name, he added it is also a time in which North
Korea's neighbors ''should leave them in no doubt that their actions are
unacceptable.''
==Kyodo

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