Global Newsstand: Following US-North Korea summit collapse, South Korea must play mediator, and more

A roundup of global commentary for the March 18, 2019 weekly magazine.

Global Newsstand

Korea JoongAng Daily / Seoul, South Korea

Following US-North Korea summit collapse, South Korea must play mediator

“Achieving denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula will likely be a lengthy process following the breakdown in the second summit between the United States and North Korea in Hanoi,” states an editorial. “South Korean President Moon Jae-in, nevertheless, says he is optimistic.... Moon described an ambitious vision even after [President] Trump and [North Korean leader] Kim [Jong-un] seemed to squander hard-won summit momentum because Washington could not agree to the removal of sanctions on Pyongyang’s terms.... Moon must persuade Pyongyang that denuclearization [is] the sole answer.... Moreover, Seoul must strengthen its communication with Washington.”

Al Jazeera / Doha, Qatar

Kashmiris are the real casualties of the India-Pakistan crisis

“Uncertainty and fear took over our home region on February 14, when a suicide attack in the Pulwama district of Indian-administered Kashmir killed more than 40 Indian soldiers,” write Samreen Mushtaq and Mudasir Amin. “We were quickly and collectively denounced as national traitors, harassed and attacked across Indian cities.... The Kashmiri people, who have already lived through decades of daily aggression against their bodies, homes, psyches, and memories, are now facing the real possibility of an all-out war.... Meanwhile, headlines about an India-Pakistan ‘confrontation’, ‘escalation’ and an ‘impending war’ have been dominating local and international media.... Yet somewhere in all this noise about conflict and war, a simple fact has been left out: that Kashmir is the place where it is all being fought out.”

The Moscow Times / Moscow

Russian generals fear an unusual threat

“Russian and U.S. generals have made no secret lately of the fact that they each view the other as their No. 1 adversary...,” writes Leonid Bershidsky. “But Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov is now fretting that the U.S. will deploy a ‘Trojan horse’ strategy.... It’s probably fair to say Gerasimov and his colleagues at the Russian defense ministry feel they have the U.S. military threat more or less under control.... What the generals and the Kremlin are really scared of, though, is ordinary Russians. They are afraid their own people will knife them in the back if the U.S. tries regime change.”

The Guardian / Lagos, Nigeria

Working toward a gender-balanced future

“While some forms of discrimination against women and girls are diminishing, gender inequality continues to hold women back and deprive them of their basic rights and opportunities,” states an editorial. “The International Women’s Day (IWD) ... drew the attention of the world to the plight of the female folk.... Millions suffer exploitation, violence, abuse, discrimination and harmful traditional practices.... Therefore, as the IWD celebration euphoria is still with us, Nigeria should ‘think’ gender-balanced boardrooms, gender-balanced government, gender-balanced media coverage.... Achieving these requires addressing structural issues such as unfair social norms and attitudes as well as developing progressive legal frameworks.... Let’s build a gender-balanced nation!”

The Jamaica Observer / Kingston, Jamaica

How small Caribbean nations could influence the situation in Venezuela

“Small states, as Jamaica has proven over the years, can have an impact well beyond their economic and population size...,” states an editorial. “This is even more so when the small states act collectively. As a bloc, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) has had a long and outstanding record.... The leadership of Caricom must be congratulated and supported fully in its determined effort to play a constructive role in resolving the situation in conflict-torn Venezuela.... In continuation of its strategy of respecting the right of self-determination and opposing external intervention in Venezuela, Caricom leaders will meet with the United States of America, hopefully to head off a US invasion of Venezuela.”