Nautilus Weekly March 8 - 12, 2010

NORTHEAST ASIA – A MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGE FOR THE NEW DECADE

James Goodby, nonresident Senior Fellow at the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution and former US Ambassador to Finland, and Markku Heiskanen, Senior Expert Associate at NIAS-Nordic Institute of Asian Studies in Copenhagen, write, “Energy cooperation between China, Japan, North and South Korea and Russia could be a first step towards building broad international and institutionalized cooperation between these countries. The United States and the European Union should be fully participating members of an energy community in Northeast Asia.”

Read the article here.

CHINA-NORTH KOREA RELATIONS

Dick K. Nanto, Specialist in Industry and Trade, Mark E. Manyin, Specialist in Asian Affairs, and Kerry Dumbaugh, Specialist in Asian Affairs, at the Congressional Research Service wrote this report on the relationship between the PRC and DPRK. The report examines the PRC’s DPRK policy, the DPRK’s policy objectives in its interactions with the PRC, Sino-DPRK diplomatic and economic relations, and the impact of PRC sanctions on the DPRK.

Read the report here.

APSNET TOP STORY: HERE TO HELP: STRENGTHENING THE DEFENCE ROLE IN AUSTRALIAN DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Defence is likely to be used more frequently in the future to assist in domestic disaster management. The report discusses three actions that should be taken to prepare for the increased demand on, and expectations for the use of, Defence in disaster management.

Read the report here.

NAPSNET TOP STORY: NO US INTENT TO FORCE NORTH KOREAN REGIME CHANGE, AMBASSADOR SAYS

Associated Press reported that the US ambassador to the ROK said Wednesday that the United States had no intention of forcibly ousting the DPRK government, news reports said. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens said her country "has no hostile intent towards the people of North Korea nor are we threatening to change the North Korean regime through force," the Yonhap News Agency reported. Stephens stressed that Washington was seeking "diplomatic solutions" and would be prepared to hold bilateral talks with the DPRK if it promised to return to six-nation negotiations aimed at ending its nuclear programme.

Read the report here.