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Putin should immediately invite Kim Jong Nuke to Moscow - better than Expell 200 Ang Moh Diplomats

war is best form of peace

Alfrescian
Loyal
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Just invite Kim to Kremlin and open vodka! That will hurt Dotard & Ang Moh way better than expelling 200 of their diplomats.

An effective collaboration with Kim Jong Nuke will do very effective helps to Putin against the west especially USA. Dotard is stealing Putin's cake in Syria. Kim can make Dotard's war capacity occupied or engaged or even hurt and bleeding badly, and Syrian problems will be over. Especially if USA got nuked by Hwasong ICBM. It will sink the EU Ang Moh's confident with USA even further then, and when USA got nuked by NK, EU is most inclined to give up and submit to Putin for once and for all.

Expel diplomat is a silly childish game, to lame for Putin.

Sinking so low to play 3yr old kids games with Ang Mohs? WAF?

If Putin want to play assassination games, then it must never be at a lame 3yr old kid level like targeting useless ex-spy. He got to VX Dotard, VX May, VX Merkel, VX punch of Jews in NY and Israel. And actually VX them all on the same day! Then completely laughing stock to play kick out diplomats, shut off all diplomatic ties completely and play WW3 is more closer to Putin's capacity.

So I suggest Super-Rocket-Man must invite Rocket-Man immediately.

Things will work out much better!







https://www.rt.com/op-ed/422502-west-russia-diplomats-skripal/


West pushing anti-Russia conspiracy theories for political & economic advantage

Robert Bridge is an American writer and journalist. He is author of the book, 'Midnight in the American Empire,' released in 2013. [email protected]
Published time: 27 Mar, 2018 17:01 Edited time: 28 Mar, 2018 16:55
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FILE PHOTO: An aircraft sent to collect diplomats and their families from Russia's embassy in London © Chris Radburn / Reuters
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Once again, the West has tossed out the democratic baby with the bath water, scapegoating Russia for a mysterious crime on UK territory without a shred of evidence. To understand why, just follow the money.
Any hope that Western capitals would come to their democratic senses and demand that Theresa May provide some proof that Russia was behind an alleged assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer turned British spy, was dashed on Monday.

Sixteen EU states fell in lockstep behind the US and UK, taking the dramatic measure of banishing Russian diplomats.

Meanwhile, back in the land of the free, Trump enthusiastically joined the inquisition, saying he would expel 60 Russian diplomats ‘personae non grata,’ and shut down the Seattle consulate. Encouraging to see the American leader practicing cool-headed moderation in times of uncertainty.

Short of an actual military conflict with Russia, it would be hard to imagine the situation getting any worse. Most worrisome is the peddling of pulp-fiction conspiracy theories against Russia, which compels the accusers to compensate for their wild imaginations with hysterical, inflammatory outbursts that border on sheer madness.

How else to explain the comment by UK Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson, who spoke like a kid at the playground when he said Russia “should go away and shut up;” or that of Boris Johnson, the British foreign minister, who had the audacity and historical ignorance to compare Russia's hosting of this year's World Cup to the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany.

So, what is motivating self-satisfied Western countries, like the US and Britain, to forward such slanderous claims against Russia without a hint of legal due process? After all, it cannot be denied that Russia would have stood to gain nothing from targeting Skripal.

“[Sergei Skripal] was handed in to Britain as a result of an exchange. So, why should Russia hand in a man that is of any importance or that is of any value? It's unimaginable. If he's handed in – so Russia quits with him. He's of zero value or zero importance,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in an exclusive interview with RT.

When we ask the question, ‘Cui bono’ – who stands to benefit the most from an assassination attempt on a man of absolutely no consequence to Moscow – the most credible answer always comes back to ‘Russia’s accusers.’

Follow the money
Since Washington has taken by far the severest steps against Russia over the Skripal fallout, it would be fair to ask if the US stands to gain anything from the wave of Russophobia now sweeping the West, which got its start, incidentally, as a direct result of ‘Russiagate.’

Against the backdrop of the Skripal scandal are extremely lucrative gas contracts with EU countries that Russia has dutifully fulfilled since the Soviet heydays. Today, Russia supplies about 40 percent of Europe’s gas. The US, however, with its fracking-backed liquefied natural gas (LNG) program, is anxious to get a piece of the pie.

In July, Donald Trump paid a visit to Poland, where he pledged to boost exports of LNG to Central Europe, as well as challenge Russia’s market on energy supplies.

“America stands ready to help Poland and other European nations diversify their energy supplies so that you can never be held hostage to a single supplier,” Trump told reporters after talks with Polish President Andrzej Duda.

The comment was odd since, even at the height of the Cold War, Europe never froze due to Moscow turning off its gas in the middle of the night.

Read more
Entangling alliances or scoring at home? Why US went out of its way with Russian diplomat expulsions
Marek Matraszek, founder of the lobby firm CEC Government Relations, offered a very disturbing comment about Washington’s push to supply LNG to Europe.

“If we want to have the United States’ LNG supplies in Central Europe, we also want to see the United States getting tough on Nord Stream 2, which means getting tough on Russia,” Matraszek said.

I am very curious to know exactly what Matraszek had in mind when he spoke about "getting tough on Russia." Would he approve of the current bilateral breakdown between the nuclear powers? I certainly hope not.

In light of the massive prospects for gross profit on the European continent, would Western capitals not be tempted to deny Moscow the benefit of the doubt whenever highly suspicious criminal cases arise, like the present one regarding Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia?

In an effort to slander Russia and push it out of lucrative markets, they may be tempted to milk the situation for all its worth – which is exactly what is happening now. To doubt that possibility would require a deep misunderstanding of the geopolitical realities as they have played out over the course of the last decade, complete with a massive propaganda campaign aimed at everything related to Russia – from the Olympic Games to anti-terrorist operations in Syria to criminal cases in foreign lands.

Meanwhile, as the showdown between the US and Russia over EU gas supplies festers, especially in light of Nord Stream 2, the German-Russia venture that would double direct Russia gas supplies, the ongoing US sanction regime against Russia is beginning to look extemely suspect.

Commenting on Trump’s passage in August of brand new sanctions against Russia, then German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel was brave enough to mention the elephant in the room.

“The draft law makes clear that they’re pursuing economic interests and we think that’s not acceptable,” he said.

“Aggressively combining foreign policy issues with American economic interests and saying: ‘We want to drive Russian gas out of the European market so we can sell American gas there is definitely not something we can accept.’”

Meanwhile, it is not only in the energy sector where the United States - and to a lesser degree the UK - stands to gain from wrecked relations with Russia, but in the defense sector as well.

The UK regularly ranks as Europe’s leading weapons exporter, behind the United States globally, which remains the world’s leading arms exporter. Much of the expenditure comes from NATO member states, which were just put on notice by Trump to keep their military spending at 2 percent of GDP, at the very same time Washington was going out of its way to portray Russia as a belligerent nation, when it has been the West that has been hell-bent on fomenting regime change around the world. Now that's certainly an interesting sales strategy.

Can this propaganda campaign against Russia work? I believe the answer is no, for many reasons. First, it is not just the Russians who understand that they are being played by major powers in a conspicuous attempt to gain geopolitical and economic advantage.

Thus far, nearly half of the EU’s member states have refrained from committing a gesture of “solidarity” with London, deciding not to expel Russian diplomats. Those ‘conscientious objectors’ are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia.

“We are determined to maintain open channels of dialogue with Russia,” Austrian government spokesperson Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal told RIA Novosti.

In many ways, this represents a victory for Russia – albeit a bittersweet one – that London failed to get so many countries on board its anti-Russia juggernaut.

Second, Russia is actively diversifying its economy away from Western markets in preparation for a worse-case scenario. For example, the “$55bn Power of Siberia pipeline will start carrying gas 3,000km to China next year. The company is also spending $13bn on a pipeline to Turkey,” the Financial Times reported.

Finally, as Russia understands that they are up against some very dishonest players, the country has made tremendous inroads to producing many of the things it once depended upon imports to have, and we are not just talking about cheese. The Russian authorities have even prepared a backup plan in the event that Russia is terminated from the SWIFT international payment system. Although, of course, Russia would prefer not to have to take such drastic steps, the unfortunate situation in many Western capitals, where otherwise intelligent people are pointing fingers and hurling unfounded accusations at Russia, without critical evidence or due process – once hallmarks of the Western judicial system – make such steps absolutely vital.

All things considered, Russia will survive this storm, as it has done so many other times in the past against far graver enemies, and stronger than ever.

@Robert_Bridge


The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
 
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Ang4MohTrump

Alfrescian
Loyal
For what shit the Ang Mohs are doing to Russia, in Syria, in Olympics & sports bans, sanctions, false accusations, expel diplomats etc.

Putin should just sign military pack with Kim & ship S-400 & submarines etc to Kim looooong time ago! Why he so kind to the Ang Mohs?
 

democracy my butt

Alfrescian
Loyal
Ang Moh pissed off Putin, Russia will make Ang Moh & their dogs pay back!

http://www.sohu.com/a/226635666_600524

刚刚,俄罗斯反击开始,直接甩出“王炸”:谁将成为头一个牺牲品
2018-03-29 06:00 俄罗斯
第一军情作者:天中狼哥

一名前双面间谍莫名的中毒案,如同“蝴蝶的翅膀”,煽起了一场外交“飓风”——已有23个国家效仿英美驱逐俄罗斯外交官,人数多达233人,成为有史以来会针对俄罗斯外交官最大规模的集体驱逐。

面对西方国家的组团挑衅,俄罗斯发誓要对这种“挑衅行为”进行报复,并且直接甩出了“王炸”。

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俄罗斯国防部网站刚刚发布公告:一场由俄战略火箭军部队3000名官兵参加的军事演习,已在位于中部地区的斯维尔德洛夫斯克州拉开帷幕。公告说,演习涉及300部作战装备,主要内容包括最高级战备状态演练、反高精度武器打击和完成在强电磁干扰与紧急部署状态下的作战任务等。演习首次动用了一批工程、防御和核生化防护等现代化特种装备,还出动了米格-31全天候战斗机和安-30侦察机。俄战略火箭军司令卡拉卡耶夫此前表示,2018年俄战略火箭军将完成12次洲际弹道导弹的发射任务,发射数量比去年多一倍。

另有消息披露,俄罗斯已经完成了一项极具规模的军事部署,俄罗斯武装力量总参谋长格拉西莫夫日前表示,俄军在各个战略方向都组建了巡航导弹部队。

此时此刻,俄罗斯此举的战略威慑意味深厚。普京深知,面对西方多国狼群般的外交攻势,对话与谈判将会陷入无何止的争吵与纠缠之中,不仅极大牵扯精力和资源,更难以在短期内解决问题。直接亮出“王牌”,就是要一举警告那些扎堆向俄罗斯发难的国家,不要碰触俄罗斯的底线,不能把俄罗斯逼到墙角,否则,后果很严重——谈判桌上解决不了的问题,俄罗斯不吝于诉诸军事。

其实,俄罗斯此番举动直接瞄准了西方外交围堵背后的军事底牌。有报道披露,“特工中毒门”事件一发生,美英两国就在北冰洋海域做起了军事动作,派攻击型核潜艇在俄罗斯家门口搞军事演习。英国国防部长威廉姆森更是直接赴俄罗斯的家门口爱沙尼亚视察驻扎在当地的英国军队。英媒称,就在英俄两国外交风波持续扩大之时,英国此举是在向俄罗斯总统普京“展现实力”,以震慑俄罗斯。威廉姆森视察军队时表示,俄罗斯的威胁变得越来越大,且越来越具有野心,英国必须转变应对的方式。

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在西方的字典中,外交就是军事,军事就是外交,二者互为表里。美国和西方在外交围攻俄罗斯的背后大打军事牌,就是要通过文攻武备迫使俄罗斯屈服。

很不幸的是,西方也许选对了方法,却无疑选错了对象。俄罗斯近代以来与西方斗争多年,不仅有着丰富的斗争经验,更有斗争到底的意志和策略。俄罗斯有过一句名言“与狼在一起,就得学狼叫”,意思自然是:在狼的世界中就要用狼的语言与狼交往。俄罗斯长期与如狼似虎的西方国家周旋,虽然遭遇过不少挫折,却一次次从绝地中站了起来。这样的历史,早就教会了俄罗斯人一个道理:妥协和退让只能让对方得寸进尺,斗争到底才能捍卫国家尊严和利益。

俄罗斯近代争霸欧洲的历史表明,这样一个民族决不会在西方压力面前低头,西方的每一次攻势都只能换回俄罗斯更加强势的反击,并由此给西方带来深重的损失和无尽的折磨。一次吃亏,断然报复,不找回场子决不罢休,这就是俄罗斯的斗争逻辑。

事实上,英国、法国、德国、瑞典、波兰等国家,历史上都曾让俄罗斯深受过屈辱的滋味,不过,现在看看,当年那些与俄罗斯争霸的欧洲国家早已在政治上军事上沦为二流角色,唯有俄罗斯仍然强势屹立。谁能笑到最后,谁才是真正的赢家。这显然也是俄罗斯的追求。

西方这一轮来势汹汹的外交群殴表面看来占了上风,但从本质上讲对俄罗斯这样一个国家并不会造成实质性的伤害,毕竟,就算没有外交风波,西方对俄罗斯的制裁也仍在进行之中,多打几场“嘴仗”,俄罗斯完全奉陪得起。但是,从另一方面来说,西方的步步进逼无疑会大大激发俄罗斯民族的战斗意志,斗增强俄罗斯国内的凝聚力,这自然有利于普京在刚刚开始的新的任期放手大干一场,树立起在他在俄罗斯历史上的“大帝”地位。

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实力优先,善出奇招,是俄罗斯在国际斗争中的一贯行为。乌克兰危机后,面对西方制裁的压力,俄罗斯另避溪径,军事挺进叙利亚,极大增强了俄罗斯的国际地位和国际影响力。当前,四面交困的俄罗斯无疑正在谋划新的突破点,至于用什么样的行动、在哪个方向发力,虽然不得而知,但以俄罗斯军事实力和强势作风,一旦选定目标,必定会让西方再次颤抖。

记得北约步步东扩时,梅德韦杰夫曾在公开的电视讲话中扬言,如果北约执意要在俄罗斯邻国部署反导系统,俄罗斯就要在相关地区相应部署远程打击系统并退出核裁军谈判。如果有必要,俄罗斯将对这些严重削弱俄罗斯战略导弹打击或威慑效果的雷达预警和反导基地予以摧毁。尽管俄罗斯当时并没有将之付诸行动,却在2008年夏天,忽然拿格鲁吉亚开刀,打了西方国家一个措手不及。那场战争也许并没有想象中的雷霆万钧,但是毕竟也让西方感受到了北极熊的牙尖爪利,依然不是任何人都可以随便欺负的。

历史的教训还在,西方却还在集体对俄罗斯进行群殴,那么,谁将成为北极熊利爪下的又一个牺牲品呢?估计马上就会有答案!


Just now, the Russian counterattack began, directly throwing "King fried": who will become the first victim
2018-03-29 06:00
Russia

The first military author: days Langge

A former double-faced spy inexplicable poisoning case, like "wings of wings", has picked up a diplomatic "hurricane" - 23 countries have followed the example of the United Kingdom and the United States expelling Russian diplomats, with a total of 233 people. Against the largest collective expulsion of Russian diplomats.

In the face of provocations by Western countries, Russia vowed to retaliate against such "provocations" and directly dumped "Wang Fry."

The website of the Russian Ministry of National Defense just announced that a military exercise involving 3,000 officers and soldiers of the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces has begun in the Sverdlovsk region in the central region. The announcement said that the exercise involved 300 combat equipment. The main contents included the exercise of the highest level of combat readiness, the suppression of anti-high-precision weapons, and the completion of combat missions under strong electromagnetic interference and emergency deployment. For the first time, the exercises used a number of modern special equipment such as engineering, defense, and nuclear, biochemical protection, and also MiG-31 all-weather fighter aircraft and An-30 reconnaissance aircraft. The commander of the Russian strategic rocket force, Karakayev, said that in 2018, the Russian strategic rocket force will complete the 12 intercontinental ballistic missile launch missions, and the number of launches will be double that of last year.

Another source disclosed that Russia has completed a large-scale military deployment. The chief of staff of the Russian armed forces, Gerasimov, said recently that the Russian military has formed cruise missile units in various strategic directions.

At this moment, Russia’s strategic deterrence is profound. Putin is fully aware that in the face of the Western multinational wolf-like diplomatic offensive, dialogue and negotiation will be plunged into endless quarrels and entanglement. This not only involves great energy and resources, but also makes it difficult to solve problems in the short term. To directly display the "trump card" is to warn those countries that get together to launch disasters in Russia, do not touch Russia's bottom line, and can't push Russia to the corner. Otherwise, the consequences are very serious - Russia can not solve the problem that cannot be solved at the negotiation table. Recourse to the military.

In fact, this move by Russia directly targeted the military cards behind Western diplomatic containment. According to reports, the "Agent Poison Gate" incident occurred. The United States and Britain began military operations in the Arctic Ocean and sent attack-type nuclear submarines to conduct military exercises at the Russian doorstep. British Defense Minister Williamson even went directly to Russia’s doorstep to visit the British troops stationed in Estonia. British media said that when the diplomatic turmoil between Britain and Russia continued to expand, the British move was "showing strength" to Russian President Vladimir Putin to shake Russia. When Williamson visited the army, he said that Russia’s threats have become larger and more ambitious, and the UK must change the way it responds.

In Western dictionaries, diplomacy is military, and military is diplomacy. The U.S. and the West’s military card behind the diplomatic siege of Russia is to force Russia to submit to it through the use of textual weapons.

Unfortunately, the West may have chosen the right method but undoubtedly chose the wrong one. Since Russia’s modern history has struggled with the West for many years, it not only has rich experience in fighting, but also has the will and strategy to fight to the end. Russia had a famous saying: "Let's learn wolf calls when you are with a wolf." The meaning is naturally: In the wolf world, it is necessary to use wolf language to communicate with the wolf. Russia has long been intertwined with western countries that are like tigers and tigers. Despite many setbacks, they have stood up again and again from the Jedi. Such a history has long taught the Russians a reason: Compromise and concession can only make each other intimidated and struggle to defend the country's dignity and interests.

The history of Russia’s struggle for hegemony in Europe in modern times shows that such a nation will never bow in the face of the pressure of the West. Every offensive in the West can only be exchanged back to Russia’s stronger counterattack, and this will bring deep losses and endless suffering to the West. . It is the logical logic of Russia’s struggle to lose out at one time and retaliate without retribution.

In fact, Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Poland, and other countries have all made Russia feel deeply humiliated in history. However, now we can see that those European countries that had been arguing with Russia had long been politically militarily Second-rate players, only Russia remains strong. Who can be the last winner, who is the real winner. This is obviously also the pursuit of Russia.

The current wave of Western diplomacy appears to have prevailed, but in essence it will not cause substantive harm to a country like Russia. After all, even if there is no diplomatic turmoil, Western sanctions against Russia will remain In progress, several more “mouthpieces” are being made, and Russia will be able to accompany it completely. However, on the other hand, the move of the West will undoubtedly greatly stimulate the fighting will of the Russian people and increase the cohesiveness of Russia. This naturally helps Putin to let go of the new term just started. He established his status as a "Great Emperor" in Russian history.

It is Russia’s consistent behavior in the international struggle that priority is given to strength and that it is a good move. After the Ukrainian crisis, faced with the pressure of Western sanctions, Russia avoided the path of the river and the military advanced into Syria, greatly enhancing Russia’s international status and international influence. At present, Russia, which is faced with difficulties, is undoubtedly planning a new breakthrough point. Although it is not known what kind of actions to take and in what direction, but with Russia’s military strength and strong style, once the target is selected, it will certainly allow The West shook again.

Recalling that NATO’s eastward expansion, Medvedev once threatened in a public televised speech that if NATO insisted on deploying an anti-missile system in Russia’s neighboring countries, Russia would have to deploy long-range strike systems in relevant regions and withdraw from nuclear disarmament negotiations. If necessary, Russia will destroy these radar early warning and anti-missile bases that severely undermine the effectiveness of Russian strategic missile strikes or deterrence. Although Russia did not put it into action at that time, in the summer of 2008, it suddenly took Georgia and attacked Western countries by surprise. The war may not have the imaginary thunderbolt, but after all, it also allows the West to feel the fangs and claws of the polar bear. Still, no one can bully it.

The lesson of history is still that the West is still collectively arguing with Russia. Who will be the next victim of the polar bear? Estimate immediately there will be an answer!
 

tun_dr_m

Alfrescian
Loyal
HwaSong-power!

Everyone have to meet Kim Jong Nuke!

If no Hwasong-15 Nuke nobody give him even a look and treat him like a beggar! Now Hwasong-15 made him super VIP!


https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...-in-high-level-talks-ahead-of-summit-10085436


Two Koreas in high-level talks ahead of summit


Kim Jong Un is due to meet South Korean President Moon next month, followed by a landmark nuclear summit with US President Donald Trump, which could come as early as May.

image: data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==

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South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyun (R) shakes hands with his North Korean counterpart Ri Son Gwon (L) during their meeting at the Unification Pavilion building in the truce village of Panmunjom on Thursday (Mar 29). (Photo: AFP)
29 Mar 2018 05:10AM (Updated: 29 Mar 2018 02:54PM)
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SEOUL: The two Koreas on Thursday (Mar 29) set a date for a rare inter-Korean summit, following a high-level meeting that was held days after the nuclear-armed North's leader Kim Jong Un made his international debut with a surprise trip to China.

"According to the will of both leaders, the South and North agreed to hold the '2018 South-North summit' on Apr 27 at the South's Peace House in Panmunjom," said a joint press statement, read out in turn by both delegations' leaders.

The meeting between Kim Jong Un, leader of nuclear-armed North Korea, and the South's President Moon Jae-in will be only the third of its kind, and will be followed by landmark talks with US President Donald Trump which could come as early as May.

The venue will make Kim the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the end of the Korean War - although according to Pyongyang's official accounts, during the conflict his grandfather and predecessor Kim Il Sung went several times to Seoul, which twice fell to his forces.

Another round of working-level talks next Wednesday will discuss issues including protocol and security.

Thursday's meeting was held in the Unification Pavilion on Panmunjom's northern side, where the leader of Pyongyang's delegation Ri Son Gwon said: "Over the past 80 days or so, many events that were unprecedented in inter-Korean relations took place."


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image: data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==

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South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyun (R) is greeted by his North Korean counterpart Ri Son Gwon (C) before their meeting at the truce village of Panmunjom on Thursday (Mar 29). (Photo: AFP)



Next month's meeting comes after previous inter-Korean summits in 2000 and 2007, since when the North has made extensive progress in its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

It has been subjected to multiple rounds of sanctions by the UN Security Council, US, South and others as a result, and tensions in the region have soared, with Kim and Trump engaging in a fiery war of words last year.

But a rapid rapprochement on the peninsula was kicked off by the Winter Olympics in the South and events have moved quickly since then, with a flurry of official visits between the two Koreas.

An advance team of Southern performers headed north on Thursday ahead of K-pop concerts in Pyongyang.

KIM-XI MEETING

Also Thursday, China's top diplomat, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, was due to travel to Seoul to brief Moon on Kim's secretive visit to Beijing this week to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time.

It was the North Korean leader's first overseas trip since inheriting power following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.

China has long been the North's key diplomatic defender and provider of trade and aid, but relations have been strained by Pyongyang's weapons programmes, with Beijing showing a new willingness to implement UN sanctions against it.

Even so the two leaders hailed their nations' historic ties, with Xi accepting Kim's invitation to visit Pyongyang, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

"There is no question that my first foreign visit would be to the Chinese capital," it quoted Kim as saying, calling it a "noble obligation".

Kim pledged that he was "committed to denuclearisation" on the Korean peninsula, according to China's Xinhua news agency - but added this would depend on South Korea and the US taking what he called "progressive and synchronous measures for the realisation of peace".

Analysts say both sides had reason to hold the meeting - Pyongyang to secure Beijing's backing and support, and China to protect its interests in what it considers its backyard.

Robert Kelly, a professor at Pusan National University in South Korea, said: "Xi would not grant this meeting unless the Chinese were genuinely concerned about the summits to come and wanted some kind of role to play."

The South's JoongAng Daily newspaper said in an editorial Thursday that the meeting "makes the situation more complicated because Xi stepped into the negotiation all of a sudden".

"China will not simply look on," it added.

Source: AFP/de/hm/ec
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Russia to close US consulate in St. Petersburg, expel 60 diplomats as Washington did – Lavrov
Published time: 29 Mar, 2018 17:05 Edited time: 29 Mar, 2018 19:27
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FILE PHOTO: A view through a fence shows the building of the consulate-general of the U.S. in St. Petersburg © Anton Vaganov / Reuters
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Russia will expel sixty US diplomats and close the US consulate in St. Petersburg, in a response mirroring the mass expulsion of Russian diplomats initiated by the US and UK, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
US ambassador to Moscow, Jon Huntsman, has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry and told the news by deputy FM Sergey Ryabkov, Lavrov said at the press conference following a meeting with the special UN envoy for Syria Staffan De Mistura.

On Monday, Washington expelled 48 Russian diplomats from the bilateral mission and 12 more from the UN mission, and shut down the Russian consulate in Seattle. Canada, Australia and a number of US allies in Europe have followed up by expelling over 90 Russian diplomats.

In addition to the mirror response to the US, Moscow will expel the equal number of diplomats from those countries, Lavrov said.

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‘Russia has lots of tentacles’: US says it needed no proof, only UK’s word to expel diplomats
Among the US diplomats being expelled are 58 from the US Embassy in Moscow, and two officials from the General Consulate in Yekaterinburg, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced. The diplomats will have until April 5 to leave Russia. The US General Consulate in St. Petersburg is to be shut down by March 31.

“We invite the US government, which is encouraging and fanning the campaign of slander against our country, to rethink and stop these reckless actions destroying our bilateral relations,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The expulsions of Russian diplomats began on March 14, when the UK declared 23 people personae non grata, claiming that Moscow was “highly likely” behind the alleged poisoning of former spy Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia with the chemical agent “novichok.” Russia has denied the allegations and requested the British government to provide evidence. So far, there has been none.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert protested Russia’s “unwarranted” response against “our entirely justified action.”
“There is no justification for the Russian response,” Nauert said, describing Russia as “not serious about being a cooperative world player.”


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