Korea: The hexagon of uncertainty

[QuietStorm]

BEIJING - North Korea has managed to pull another rabbit out of its hat - threatening the world with the test of a nuclear bomb, while holding multilateral talks and listening to what the United States had to offer.

In fact there were two distinct aspects to the Six-Way Talks that wound up in Beijing on Friday: on the one hand Pyongyang has fired out its usual incendiary rhetoric, claiming it will never surrender and daring the South Korean navy with trespasses of the sea border; on the other hand it has backed away from its former positions, in two key areas. Whereas it had insisted for months that it wanted bilateral talks with the US, it has bowed to the US wish for multilateral talks. And whereas it had insisted on a non-aggression treaty with the US as a prelude to any talks, its delegates have just spent three days in Beijing without any such agreement.

The North Korean party attending the talks most probably could not make decisions, but was simply ordered to sound out the offers put on the hexagonal table and then report back to the leadership sitting in Pyongyang.

On Friday, the Chinese, who organized and hosted the meeting, said North Korea was willing to give up its nuclear plans. Furthermore, Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the six parties had reached a six-point consensus on the nuclear issue:

more...
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/EH30Dg04.html

[mmm]

1. I think he is wrong on two points:

1. Finding Sadam will not change the situation in Iraq -
the 'situation' has taken on a life of its own
2. China will not side with the US in the event of war with NK -
NK is China's east coast anti-US buffer

[QuietStorm]

2. hmmm

I have just printed out all articles I just posted to read during breakfast. without having read them yet, including this one... (all will be read however)...

I do agree with your two statements. If anything China/Beijing could become a foe.

However I say that not knowing what the context is. I will update my statement if need be after breakfast.

[Turbulence]

3. North Korea and Iran Want the Bomb

snip
The remaining two axes of evil have been spinning their terrible wheels this week. The North Koreans proclaimed, at disarmament talks no less, that they will soon test a nuclear weapon. The Iranians were caught in an awkward fix, if not an outright lie, when traces of bomb-grade uranium were found on a centrifuge at a nuclear reactor that they claim to use strictly for peaceful purposes. There are ambiguities in both stories. The North Koreans also said at those talks that they would dismantle their nuclear-weapons program if the United States dropped its hostile policy and resumed economic assistance. The Iranians expressed surprise at the news about the centrifuge, explaining that they bought the equipment elsewhere and that it must have come precoated with enriched-uranium residue (dubious but not impossible, given that the source was probably Pakistan).

more...
http://slate.msn.com/id/2087777/