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There's little substance to be found in what came of the second round of six-way talks on the North Korean nuclear issue, which ended Saturday in Beijing. Some observers are suggesting that with presidential elections coming this year in the United States, both North Korea and the U.S. are stalling for time. If true, it would mean progress on the issue will not come quickly.
Korea is welcoming the formation of a "working group," saying, "these talks laid the larger foundation for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue." Government officials are also saying the wording "coordinated steps," instead of an insistence by the U.S. that North Korea renounce its nuclear programs before corresponding action is taken, is another positive outcome of the talks. Officials are also pleased with the "Chairman's statement" that specifies a date for a third round of six-way talks.
Some experts, however, are concerned that the talks are giving North Korea more time with its nuclear program, and that resolution could actually become more complicated at the working group level. The U.S. and the North could easily find differences over the interpretation of "coordinated steps," for example.
Nevertheless, participating countries are viewing the talks positively.
The U.S. State Department issued a statement Saturday. "While key differences remain that will need to be addressed in further rounds of discussions, this round of talks made progress on a regularized process for the peaceful and diplomatic resolution of this issue," it said. While the presidential election campaign is on, the U.S. wants to emphasize that the multiparty approach is bringing results. It also feels that with the nuclear questions relating to Iraq and Libya resolved, there's no need to hurry with the nuclear issue in North Korea.
The North is also watching to see how the U.S.'s presidential election turns out, and one diplomatic observer said the North probably feels it has no reason to make a major offer. One view hold that the North likely thinks it would be foolish on its part to show its hand of cards during the hard-line Bush Administration. Prior to this latest round of talks the North acted as if it might be ready to take a different approach, but then at the talks it repeated, in strong terms, the claims it has always made. All part of a strategy of stalling for time, according to some experts.
China has agreed to host the third round of six-way talks, and so is pleased with the results of this latest round because it firms up its position as the mediator of the North Korean nuclear issue. Korea is satisfied with the results because the talks somewhat remove the issue as an obstacle to intra-Korean relations, the emphasis being that the situation will work well enough if relations continue without a worsening of the nuclear issue.
Some observers, however, are saying that the distrust between the U.S. and North Korea actually deepened as a result of the second round of talks. One high-level Bush Administration official is already saying that it would be "wrong to say there was a lot of progress." The New York Times quotes an American official as saying he "doubts the working group will be able to get started unless North Korea gives clear commitment that it is ready to abolish its nuclear program."
(Joo Yong-joong, midway@chosun.com )
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