Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

WSJ: A Skeptical View -- North Korea gets its way -- yet again.
Wall Street Journal ^ | September 21, 2005 | NICHOLAS EBERSTADT

Posted on 09/21/2005 5:26:04 AM PDT by OESY

Contrary to conventional wisdom, which holds the North Korean state to be an unremittingly hostile "negotiating partner," history actually demonstrates that Pyongyang can be a highly obliging interlocutor under certain very specific conditions. All that is necessary to "get to yes" with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is to concede every important point demanded by the North Korean side while sacrificing vital interests of one's own.

Monday's "breakthrough" at the six-party talks in Beijing would appear to conform precisely to this long-established pattern. The vaunted outcome -- a long-desired "consensus statement" inked by North Korea and the other five governments engaged in protracted discussions over North Korean denuclearization -- is being celebrated by diplomatic sophisticates in Seoul, Beijing, Moscow, Tokyo and Washington.

Enthusiasts contend that the North Korean regime, after two years of tough talks with five other countries united in the desire to force it to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, has at last agreed to a step-by-step process that will eventually resolve the crisis. In reality, nothing of the sort has taken place. A careful reading of the Sept. 19 joint statement suggests instead that North Korean negotiators have just achieved a stunning advance in their government's quest to "normalize" its nuclear weapons program. There's also been equally momentous progress in Pyongyang's longstanding campaign to sunder the U.S.-South Korean military alliance. Wittingly or otherwise, the U.S. negotiating team has executed an apparent cave-in -- embracing precepts crucial to North Korean objectives but inimical to Washington's own....

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: china; dprk; nothkorea; nuclear
Mr. Eberstadt holds the Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute.
1 posted on 09/21/2005 5:26:06 AM PDT by OESY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: OESY

I suppose it doesn't matter that Bush means what he says and has a history of holding foreign leaders to their word.

We shall see.


2 posted on 09/21/2005 5:28:50 AM PDT by js1138 (Great is the power of steady misrepresentation.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OESY

Isn't it about time to render NK's nuclear program moot?

A few stealth sorties should do it.


3 posted on 09/21/2005 5:36:10 AM PDT by CPOSharky (The more I'm around people the better I like my dogs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CPOSharky

Let the SKs sort it out.


4 posted on 09/21/2005 6:55:10 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson