[EDITORIALS]Neighbors' Bond Is an Opportunity

The "Treaty on Good Neighborly Friendship and Cooperation" signed between China and Russia represents the reorganization of the international order of the 21st century. President Jiang Zemin of China and President Vladimir Putin of Russia officially restored the relationship between two nations that had drifted apart after a territorial dispute in the 1960s and announced a new "strategic partnership." The new bond between China and Russia is a result of the arrogant unilateral diplomacy by the United States, which reigns as the one and only super power.

In the joint statement China and Russia announced they will not use nor point nuclear weapons at each other, and in case of an emerging threat, the two sides will make contact immediately. Also China and Russia stressed the basic importance of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM), which, in effect, confirmed their opposition to the missile defense system proposed by the United States. The diplomatic hegemony being pursued candidly by the United States after the launch of the Bush administration has resulted in China and Russia binding together. Unlike the treaty signed by Mao Ze-dong and Joseph Stalin in 1950, which strengthened the relationship of the two countries through ideology, the current treaty is for the strategic need to mutually assist each other to deal with the United States. Therefore this treaty has its limits since it may be a temporary strategic alliance.

But we have no choice but to pay close attention to the active cooperation between Russia and China at a time when the alliance between the United States and Japan has been strengthened.

There is a new Cold War structure settling around the Korean Peninsula. In this situation, Korea is in a difficult position since it has to seek national security and North-South reconciliation at the same time. But as the saying goes: "Crisis and opportunity are like two different sides of a coin." Adversity may turn into favorable conditions if we make the best of it.

Korea, however, will never turn misfortune into bliss if it maintains the lamentable diplomatic ability it showed regarding the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty during Putin's Seoul visit. The government should display thorough diplomatic skills to turn the changes of the international order to our advantages.