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| Korea | |
| New Round of N. Korean Nuke Talks in Limbo | |
| 2004-01-05 | |
| Talks on ending the North Korean nuclear standoff were in limbo Monday with North Korea blaming the impasse on Washington’s demand for disarmament and South Korea saying it was unlikely a new round of negotiations would get off the ground this month. Oh hold me, Ethel! Meanwhile, Russian and Chinese diplomats reportedly were to meet in Moscow to discuss a compromise solution that first freezes North Korea’s atomic programs then rolls them back. So far, so good. The United States, Russia, China, Japan and the two Koreas have been trying to arrange six-nation talks for months in an effort to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programs. Hopes for holding such talks last month were broken by differences between the United States and North Korea. The sides have since aimed for talks early this year. We were aiming elsewhere but fine, go on. But South Korea’s National Security Adviser Ra Jong-il said Monday that a new round was unlikely to happen this month because of scheduling conflicts with the Russian Christmas holiday and the Chinese Lunar New Year, which are both celebrated in January. Don’t forget President’s Day. February looks bad too — certainly can’t expect 6-way talks on Valentine’s Day, can we?
"It’s all their fault! Can’t be us!" As a first step, North Korea again offered to freeze, not reverse, its nuclear programs. ``The actions to be taken at the first phase are for the U.S. and the neighboring countries to take measures in return for the DPRK’s complete freeze of its nuclear activities. This is a starting point and a core issue of furthering the process of talks,’’ a commentary carried by North Korea’s official KCNA news agency reported adding that ``the ball is in the U.S. court.’’ Classic commie ploy, the old something for nothing trick. We give them something, they give us a freeze — nothing. In Moscow, Chinese diplomats were to meet Monday with Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losuykov and Director of the First Asian Department Yevgeni Afanasyev, according to Itar-Tass news agency. Russia and China are working on a compromise that assumes the liquidation of the North Korean nuclear program may take more than one year. Strategic Air Command thinks it will take an hour, tops. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #2 |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-1-5 6:30:35 PM |
| #1 |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-1-5 5:25:49 PM |