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The Democratic Party’s voice in calling for bilateral U.S. negotiations with North Korea was given a boost when they took command of both houses of the U.S. Congress on Wednesday. In an interview with AP, Rep. Tom Lantos, who is favored to head the House International Relations Committee, said changes would be sought in the way the U.S. deals with countries it is at odds with over their nuclear arms development like Iran and North Korea.

Lantos, who visited North Korea in August last year with the chairman of the House International Relations Asia-Pacific subcommittee Jim Leach, told the agency it was in the U.S.’ national interest to hold direct talks, hinting another visit to North Korea may be possible. Lantos is known to be close to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. If he ends up visiting the North as chairman of the House committee, any talks there would carry considerable weight.

Former president Bill Clinton, who campaigned for Democratic candidates in the midterm elections, said the results are “a rejection of hard-headed ideological politics,” and criticized the Bush administration’s handling of North Korea, the Canadian wire service CP said Wednesday. It quoted Clinton as saying the Bush administration’s blocking of dialogue had only further isolated North Korea.

In reference to Bush’s “axis of evil” tag for North Korea, Clinton said, “Having branded someone evil, you can hardly invite them over for a drink. That’s basically the problem.” Clinton said the North craves world attention and is in great need of basics like food and energy, and if the proper channels are open, the North Korea issue could be resolved within a year, CP reported.

Clinton offered a possible road out of the conundrum. “Maybe we should say if you give up these weapons and give up these missiles we’ll help you modernize your economy, give you energy and food assistance when you need it, and give you a security guarantee . . . but only if these things happen and if you cheat, it’s all off,” he said.

(englishnews@chosun.com )