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A view of the Combat Direction Center (CDC) aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington participating in South Korea-U.S. joint exercises. Crewmembers examine a drawn map of the Korean peninsula on a large screen. (Photo by Lee Jong-keun)　

By Yi Yong-in, Staff Writer　

A “three against three” framework with South Korea, the United States and Japan on one side and North Korea, China, and Russia on the other is showing signs of taking shape once again. This transpired following China’s urgent proposal Sunday for discussions among senior representatives to the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue. Observers say the “New Cold War” framework in Northeast Asia that began to show itself with the arrival of the Lee Myung-bak administration and its prioritization of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, and deepened in the wake of the Cheonan’s sinking, was reaffirmed following North Korea’s artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island.

Following South Korea’s rejection of the Chinese proposal Sunday to convene emergency six-party talks, the United States has also expressed an effective refusal. U.S. news outlets reported that Philip Crowley, U.S. assistant secretary of state for public affairs, said Sunday (local time) that the United States would engage in discussions with the nations taking part in the talks, including South Korea and Japan, but that China first has to deter provocations from North Korea. In effect, Crowley emphasized that “responding to North Korea” is a greater priority than “resuming the six-party talks” at the present time.

On the same day, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reportedly said in a telephone conversation with Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo that “there needs to be a powerful statement [from China] that North Korea cannot misinterpret.”

Analysts say the U.S. rejection of China’s plan was somewhat anticipated. According to this view, given that Washington did not object seriously to Seoul’s hardline North Korea policy before the attack on Yeonpyeong Island, it is unlikely that it will propose a six-party talks process under the present situation of increased tensions.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Jiji Press news agency reported Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tetsuro Fukuyama on Sunday as saying that Japan would “respond cautiously in coordination with South Korea and the U.S.” on the Chinese proposal to hold six-party talks in December. Currently, South Korea, the United States and Japan have all resoundingly rejected the Chinese proposal. The three countries are also scheduled to hold foreign minister talks in Washington, D.C., in early December to display their coordination efforts.

There was no immediate information on the position of Russia, which harshly criticized the North Korean shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, regarding the Chinese proposal.

While Russia may articulate their exact position during the South Korea visit on Dec. 1 to 3 of Grigori Logvinov, Russia’s deputy representative to the six-party talks, many observers predict that in the broader scheme, Russia will agree to China’s proposal to begin the process on the six-party talks.

Following a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao on Nov. 24 (local time), Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said, “We agree that the six-party talks should be resumed as soon as possible.”

It remains unknown whether China carried out discussions with North Korea prior to formally announcing its proposal of discussions among senior representatives to the six-party talks.

“Not only was there a meeting Friday between [Chinese] Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and North Korean Ambassador to China Chi Jae-ryong, but there were almost certainly discussions through various other channels between Pyongyang and Beijing,” a foreign affairs source familiar with the China-North Korea situation said Monday.

However, since China’s proposal would entail skipping over the step of a “prior meeting between North Korea and the United States” that Pyongyang has consistently been calling for, analysts say more time is needed to know whether North Korea has readily agreed or will agree.

With North Korea and South Korea having lost their independent driving force to take a leading role in resolving their cold relations, many observers predict that the situation on the peninsula will ultimately be shaped by the outcome of discussions between Washington and Beijing. Supporting this view is a Xinhua News Agency report indicating that Clinton and Dai “agreed to maintain close contact regarding this situation” during their telephone conversation Sunday.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]