Russia and North Korea declare 2015 a 'year of friendship'

[uhnope]

Source: Telegraph UK

Ostracised by the international community, North Korea and Russia have declared 2015 a year of bilateral friendship that will be marked by a series of political, economic and cultural exchanges.

North Korean state media said this year marks the 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule and the "victory in the great Patriotic War in Russia".

Pyongyang's announcement is the latest indication of the close relationship that is developing between two leaders and nations that have been the target of international.

Both Russia and North Korea have been the target of United Nations sanctions, with the UN attempting to halt Russian involvement in fighting in the Ukraine. The UN also imposed restrictions on North Korea after it conducted a third underground nuclear test in February 2013, as well as a series of subsequent missile launches.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/11463265/Russia-and-North-Korea-declare-2015-a-year-of-friendship.html

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[Igel]

1. Live like a wolf,

howl like a wolf.
--Russian proverb

[7962]

2. This is a lot worse than Rummy's handshake with Saddam, IMO

But I'm sure the Pootin fan club will be along to tell us how this actually furthers peace

[elias49]

4. Putin fan club? Just going with the sludge flow I see.

Hey! Maybe we should have a Putin (note correct spelling) forum! I mean if he has a 'fan club'!

[uhnope]

5. ...

[elias49]

6. No way that's you!

But it looks like some people I know.

[7962]

9. Yes, those who excuse everything Putin does and instead blame the US

If the shoe fits....

[elias49]

10. It doesn't!

[7962]

11. Not even CLOSE!

[MBS]

3. oh, great (not). n/t

[CountAllVotes]

7. Mutual desperation perhaps?

Amazing what some will do when in a corner ...

[jakeXT]

8. Maybe Russia, China, North and South Korea will be enough

Realistically, negotiations on the details of a specific pipeline plan that will succeed cannot be limited to Russia and the two Koreas alone. There must also be meaningful economic reform in North Korea that includes both a rational energy development strategy, and improvements in economic contract management practices that are internationally acceptable.

As guarantors of South and North Korean security respectively, the U.S. and China have to be part of the negotiation process in order for any agreement to be politically viable and attractive to the private sector. It is inconceivable that either would accept an end-run around their interests in regional security arrangements by Russia and the two Koreas, even if these parties could come closer to a pipeline deal that works for them financially. While the Six Party process may be dead, a successor multilateral process for building consensus and support for a regional undertaking of such significance for regional stability and cooperation is required to achieve the political objective of shifting security mechanisms from reliance on military capabilities and deterrence to interdependencies of multiple kinds that create incentives for peaceful cooperation.

http://thediplomat.com/2012/10/russias-pipeline-dreams-in-korea/?allpages=yes

[msanthrope]

12. I miss Hannah Bell on threads like this....nt

[father founding]

13. Grrrrr

There is some teeth clenching at the central banks.

[davidpdx]

14. The two deserve each other in the worst way

They are both despots.