The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict – 2017-05-11 00:51:29
http://peaceboat.org/english/content/documents/GPPAC_Korea_Dialogue_Statement_201304.pdf
Statement Calling for Immediate Dialogue on the Korean Peninsula Crisis
The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict
(April 15, 2013) — The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) is deeply concerned by the heightening tensions on and around the Korean Peninsula, and calls for an immediate return to dialogue and communications as the only way to deescalate the situation and make steps to prevent violence and promote denuclearisation, peace and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula.
This should be carried out by convening as soon as possible both direct dialogue between the US-DPRK and the two Koreas, as well as a meeting of representatives of countries of the Six Party Talks, the most appropriate institutional peace and security mechanism in Northeast Asia.
All efforts must be made to immediately convene such dialogue, working at the same time for both denuclearisation and the conclusion of a peace treaty to replace the 60-year-old Korean War armistice.
The currently escalating tensions on and around the Korean Peninsula highlight the urgency of the situation, and the potential of grave miscalculations, which could lead to catastrophic results for citizens.
The lack of a permanent peace treaty and lingering unresolved problems emanating from the Cold War are fundamentally contributing to these tensions. GPPAC thus calls for countries in the region and the United Nations to make all efforts possible to urgently implement the following:
* To immediately come back to the dialogue table to decrease tensions and resolve this crisis, including holding direct dialogue between the US-DPRK and the two Koreas as well as convening a meeting of representatives of the countries involved in the Six Party Talks.
* The United Nations Security Council should give full and urgent support for such a meeting and all other related efforts for diplomacy. As appropriate the UN General Assembly should assist in promoting peace and the deescalation of tensions.
* Cessation by all parties of nuclear and missile tests, military exercises, missile defense deployment and other related actions which contribute to further tensions and potential armed conflict in the region.
* An immediate end to provocative statements and actions from all sides of the conflict.
* Immediate reinstatement of cut-off communication links, including military hotlines between Seoul and Pyongyang.
* Continuation of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and other similar joint cooperation efforts between the two Koreas, which serve as vital confidence building and civil conflict prevention measures.
* For the media, particularly on the Korean Peninsula and in the United States, to be more sensitive to its impact on the conflict and to make efforts to decrease tensions.
* Full inclusion of civil society, including women, in efforts for dialogue and resolution.
Dialogue and the creation of a regional framework for peace are absolutely imperative to peacefully resolve this crisis situation and prevent further suffering by citizens on the Korean peninsula and in the region. As a global civil society peacebuilding network, GPPAC has been working on implementing a civil society-led dialogue on the Korean Peninsula.
Emphasising the need for nonmilitary approaches with civil society involvement, GPPAC confirms its dedication to make every effort within our reach to facilitate dialogue amongst all stakeholders, with the aim to contribute to the deescalation of the crisis, denuclearisation and creation of a peace regime for the Korean Peninsula, as well as the Northeast Asia region.
GPPAC Global Secretariat
Laan van Meerdervoort 70 2517 AN
The Hague, The Netherlands
info@gppac.net
www.gppac.net
www.peaceportal.org
Korea-Japan Civil Society Joint Statement
Peace Boat, et al
On April 15, 2013, on the occasion of the Global Day of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS), Peace Boat, along with 14 other Japanese and 24 Korean civil society groups, issued a joint statement expressing concerns on the expansion of military spending and military buildup in East Asia and calling for the peaceful resolution of the current tensions in the region.
The statement calls on all East-Asian state governments including Korea and Japan to:
* Resolve the nuclear problem in the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner based on a regional cooperation;
* Suspend Missile Defense development and its deployment;
* Stop the construction plan of the naval base on Jeju Island, South Korea;
* Phase out US bases in Okinawa, Japan;
* Promote peace talk on territorial disputes.
Further, the statement calls for the conversion of the Korean armistice into peace treaty and refers to Article 9 of Japan’s constitution as a mechanism for regional peace.
A press conference was held in the Parliament in Seoul, with the participation of 15 South Korean parliamentarians, followed by a public event in front of the Parliament building.
Korea-Japan Civil Society Joint Statement
SEOUL, Tokyo (April 15, 2013) — We, civil society organizations in South Korea and Japan, jointly express our concerns on expansion of military spending and military buildup. Currently, world’s military spending for a month exceeds a year expense for a development. Most of all, military spending of East-Asia has strikingly increased and the region is becoming a world major weapons market.
This is definitely not a phenomenon that should be accepted naturally. Escalating military tension among East-Asian nations threatens our lives and societies. It also forces states to waste limited resource s and drive the world into a vicious circle of arms race.
There are many essential priorities for the people including economy, employment, social security, poverty reduction, environmental protection, disaster prevention and immunity measures.
These problems cannot be solved by a single nation because of a globalization.
As the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “the world is over-armed and peace is underfunded.â€
Cooperation among states can only control military spending and disarmament for the safety of all human beings without borders.
Therefore, we call on all East-Asian state government s including Korea and Japan as followings:
* Nuclear problem in the Korean peninsula must be resolved in a peaceful manner based on a regional cooperation. We urge North Korea to stop provocative speech and behavior.
Neighboring nations should not counteract with military action. Immediate dismantle of nucl ear armament is demanded to N o rth Korea.
At the same time, South Korea and Japan have to improve the policy relying on nuclear deterrence and move together to establish a nuclear-free region.
* We call for suspending Missile Defense development and its deployment. Despite of great amount of budget required, Missile Defense is not only in effective for national security but also unnecessarily encourages military spending competition. The region needs to unite efforts to make Missile disarmament agreement with in the region and astronomic developme nt for the purpose of public welfare.
* Naval base construction plan at Jeju Island, South Korea should withdraw. Such Naval base implies danger for militarizing the entire East-Asia region.
* We demand phase out of US bases in Okinawa, Japan. New military base in Okinawa must not be allowed.
* Peace talk between and/or among s tates on territorial dispu tes should be promoted. Each concerned state has to restrain from provocative action.
On 27 July 2013, it marks the 60th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement. We reiterate to convert armistice to peace treaty and build a peace system in the Korean peninsula and furthermore in East-Asia region.
Underlying notion of the Article 9 of the Peace Constitution of Japan provides the ground for such regional peace mechanism. We express our deep concerns on recent movement to reform Peace Constitution of Japan.
We people urge to reserve and reinforce various peaceful measures including legislations. It is urged to prevent expansion of defense industry and to cooperate for development and safety of the people from the bottom of hearts.
This statement is endorsed by:
Japan Civil Society
Lantern Demonstration Group to Oppose Military Alliance
No! to Nukes and Missile Defense Campaign
Asia-Africa-Latin America Solidarity Committee of Kyoto
Christian Political League of Japan
Society to Give Life to Constitution
Korea NGO Center
Violence Against Women in War Research Action Center
The Article 9 Society Hiroshima
Northeast Asia Information Center Hiroshima
Peace Depot
Peace Boat
Peace Link Hiroshima Kure Iwakuni
Friends for Peace
Greens Japan
No to Constitutional Revision Citizens’ Network
Korea Civil Society
Imagination for International Solidarity
Korea Reunification Society of Citizen’s Coalition for Economic Justice
The Frontiers
Korean House for International Solidarity
Korea Peace Foundation
Daejeon Women’s Association for Peace
Weapon zero
Nonviolent Peaceforce Corea
Withoutwar
Civil Peace Forum
Jeju Peace Human Rights Center
People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy
Catholic Human Right Committee
Greeting Reunification
Palestine Peace & Solidarity in S. Korea
Peace Network
Women Making Peace
Peace Ground
Peace Museum
PyeongTaek Peace Center
Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea
Korean Women’s Association
United Korea Peacebuilding Institute
Korean Federation for Environment Movement
