Australia: the Security Council

Australia might institute, through the Security Council, a permanent forum for dialogue on an as needs, ad hoc basis, for discussion to occur even when a crisis is not underway. Australia needs to also concentrate efforts on the United States, seeking to curb its aggression and posturing, not only with respect to North Korea but also Iran. Sadly for the United States it has little concept on how other states view it. Additionally it finds it very hard to process criticism. Australia has a role in helping to protect the United States against itself.

Using the Security Council as a base of authority and as a means of expressing leadership, Australia might seek to engage members of the General Assembly on the issue on an ongoing basis. Although North Korea engages in posturing it would take very little for a miscalculation to occur and for an exchange of arms to spiral out of control and wind back.

Naturally South Korea and Japan would need to be engaged in close dialogue, but in this process China would need to be a close ally of Australia – and no bad thing for our relationship with both America and China. It would serve to demonstrate to the US that whilst we have their best interests at heart we are not a mere cipher of their greater aims and ambitions.

The world has a choice – more of the same or a North Korea gradually brought into the community of nations.