--Abandon the strategy of maximum pressure, lift sanctions which have deleterious effects on the North Korean people, work toward the normalization of diplomatic relations, remove barriers to citizen-to-citizen engagement and strengthen humanitarian cooperation;
--Extend the spirit of the Olympic truce and affirm the resumption for inter-Korean dialogue by supporting:
(1) Negotiations for the continued suspension of joint US-ROK military exercises in the south, and the continued suspension of nuclear and missile tests in the north,
(2) A pledge not to conduct a first strike, nuclear or conventional, and
(3) A process to replace the Armistice Agreement with a Korea Peace Agreement;
--Adhere to all the Security Council recommendations on Women, Peace and Security. In particular urge the Foreign Ministers to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which acknowledges that the meaningful participation of women in all stages of conflict resolution and peacebuilding strengthens peace and security for all.
Despite our best efforts at the Civil Society Round Table and individual meeting with the U.S. and Canadian delegations, the Foreign Ministers chose to continue the "maximum pressure" strategy on North Korea through rigorous enforcement of UN sanctions and an underscoring that a nuclear-armed North Korea would never be accepted.
Our delegation responded that the Foreign Ministers had chosen to further isolate and threaten North Korea, a strategy that had utterly failed to halt North Korea's nuclear and missile program and had only furthered the DPRK's resolve to develop its nuclear arsenal. We know that the sanctions that have been imposed have cruel and punishing effects on ordinary North Koreans and are considered by North Korea as warfare-economic warfare, just as military war preparations (games) are considered as pre-invasion and regime overthrow warfare.
We are profoundly disappointed by the Foreign Ministers who represent countries with a commitment to peaceful diplomacy and feminist foreign policies. At a time of great global instability, we looked to them for leadership for true global peace and security, but found instead continuation of threats, isolation and economic and military warfare.
At the state level, we hope that the State of Hawaii will discontinue its monthly (and accidental?) siren and cell phone war-mongering and requiring schools to show "duck and cover" videos that are conditioning the public for war and increased military spending, instead of the less expensive and more successful strategy -- dialogue!
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