Yearly consultations 2016 of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) in Seoul
Bern, 12.05.2016 - Representatives of Switzerland, Poland and Sweden, Member States of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) in Korea, met in Seoul on the 10 - 11 of May 2016 for their annual consultations. The discussion focused on the current situation on the Peninsula and its impact on the activities of the NNSC. The representatives also evaluated the operational tasks of the NNSC including exchange of information and the co-operation with its partners. The NNSC Member States reaffirmed their long-term commitment to contribute to a permanent peace solution on the Korean Peninsula.
The NNSC was established through the Armistice Agreement of 27 July 1953, which is to date the only legal instrument for the avoidance of hostilities on the Korean Peninsula. As long as this Agreement is not superseded by a comprehensive peace treaty, the role of the NNSC remains important in maintaining the military armistice as well as in promoting confidence on both sides of the demarcation line. The representatives of the NNSC Member States fully endorsed the updated Expanded Tasks.
The representatives of the NNSC Member States discussed the implications of the latest developments on the Korean Peninsula on NNSC activities. A special focus was laid on the current tensions, the significant increase in NNSC activities, the nuclear and the ballistic missiles programmes of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, noting that the inter-Korean relations currently are at its lowest point for years. The NNSC Member States underlined the need for all parties to abstain from actions that risk increasing tensions in the region, to maintain the Armistice Agreement and to undertake concrete measures to build confidence and trust on the Peninsula.
The representatives of the NNSC Member States expressed their continued support for all efforts aimed at achieving a negotiated and sustainable solution on the Peninsula that addresses concerns of all stakeholders. The NNSC Member States discussed the perspectives for the resumption of the Six Party Talks or of other initiatives for dialogue and NNSC’s prospective role in reinstating the indispensable dialogue among the involved parties. The NNSC Member States also reaffirmed that denuclearization must be achieved and reiterated that the only way to bring about lasting stability in the region is by establishing a permanent peace arrangement on the peninsula.
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