STEPHEN BRYEN
The New York Times reports that US officials are planning to propose an “armistice” for Ukraine, allegedly similar to how the Korean War ended in 1953. However, an Armistice Agreement like the Korean one does not align with Russia’s goals and probably can’t be achieved if limited to a ceasefire.
The 1953 agreement was reached after difficult negotiations that involved the United States, North Korea, South Korea, China, the former Soviet Union and United Nations forces. Its main provisions were:
- suspending open hostilities;
- withdrawing all military forces and equipment from a 4,000-meter-wide zone, establishing the Demilitarized Zone as a buffer between the forces;
- both sides will not enter the air, ground or sea areas under control of the other;
- an arrangement for the release and repatriation of prisoners of war and displaced persons; and
- a Military Armistice Commission (MAC) and other agencies to discuss any violations and to ensure adherence to the truce terms.
The Korean armistice is now 72 years old. For the most part, it has prevented open war involving North and South Korea.
The demilitarized zone, or DMZ, in Korea is about 160 miles long and 2.5 miles wide. Running through the DMZ is a Military Demarcation Line (MDL) which is where the opposing forces were when an armistice was reached.
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