Expert: North Korea's suspension of nuclear testing creates favorable atmosphere for negotiations

On April 21, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea announced a new strategic line, stopping nuclear and missile tests to focus entirely on developing the country's economy.

Pyongyang still holds the trump card

Dmitry Mosyakov, head of the Center for Southeast Asian, Australian and Oceanian Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies (Russian Academy of Sciences), assessed Pyongyang's new statement as "normal preparations" for serious negotiations. According to him, "there is nothing special here, North Korea simply created the necessary atmosphere within which negotiations could achieve results."

North Korea announces new strategy and halts nuclear testing.

"I think that this is a completely natural step for the DPRK, that is, to create favorable conditions for negotiations. Pyongyang has shown that it is ready to go to negotiations and, moreover, is creating a situation that can maximize the success of these negotiations," - expert Mosyakov told Sputnik.

At the same time, the leadership of the DPRK "remains dry in its powder and is not prepared to give up the achievements it has strived to achieve."

Expert Dmitry Mosyakov added that at present this is a manifestation of the DPRK's general negotiating position, and in the negotiations themselves "there will be many minor differences related to the economy, to cooperation, to plans for the development of relations between the two Koreas... It is noteworthy that the DPRK has shown a certain flexibility, both announcing its position and doing everything possible to ensure that the negotiations take place in a normal atmosphere", - expert Mosyakov commented.

The China factor

Expert Vladimir Batjuk, in charge of the Center for Military-Political Studies at the Institute of the United States and Canada (Russian Academy of Sciences), also agreed that although Pyongyang has not yet given up its nuclear and missile potential, its decision has created a favorable atmosphere.

"Of course, this is a development in the right direction. It means that from a situation of mutual threats, from a show of force, the parties are gradually returning to the negotiating table, and that is very good. Pyongyang's decision was welcomed not only in Washington, but also in Moscow, Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo. Of course, from the North Korean leadership, this is a very correct step," - the expert commented.

However, according to expert Vladimir Batjuk, Pyongyang's statement is also a step forward from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to improve relations with neighboring countries, first of all with South Korea, as well as with China, as the Pyongyang-Beijing relationship "in recent years has become very, very complicated".