U.S. Nuke Negotiator Has Nothing to Say to N.Korea(while NKor's dying to meet Americans)

The U.S. representative in stalled six-way talks on North Korea's nuclear ambitions, Christopher Hill, on Monday reiterated he has no plans for a meeting with his North Korean counterpart, who is attending the same forum in Tokyo.

Arriving to take part in the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue (NEACD) meeting, Hill told reporters the aim was not to arrange a bilateral meeting but to persuade North Korea to come back to the six-party negotiations.

The assistant secretary of state said discussions with North Korea had already been held in January in Beijing and again in March in New York. He expressed doubt about the usefulness of further bilateral meetings, saying such discussions must have an objective. That suggests the U.S. will not agree to any more bilateral meetings unless Pyongyang agrees to return to the six-nation talks. However, Hill said he will exchange opinions on the talks with his Korean, Japanese and Chinese counterparts, all of whom are attending the privately-sponsored forum.

Earlier in the day, North Korea's chief delegate Kim Kye-gwan appeared eager to meet with Hill. “This is a good opportunity that's been a long time coming. I hope that we can meet,” Kim told reporters at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo prior to a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei.

Pyongyang is boycotting the six-party talks in protest at U.S. financial sanctions over North Korea’s alleged counterfeiting of dollars.

Earlier in the day, North Korea's chief delegate Kim Kye-gwan appeared eager to meet with Hill.

The table has turned. N. Korean's pants are on fire now. Financial sanctions are hurting N. Korea. Besides, China can be hit with financial sanction of some kind, if it continues to coddle N. Korea and refuse to yield on economic issues such as revalation of yuan. It is distrubing to Kim Jong-il that this time China is also economically cornered. It will raise the possibility that at some point, they will try to remove Kim Jong-il, after consolidating their hold on N. Korea. In addition, U.S. is firmly against many interKorean ventures, including Kaesung Industrial Park. If S. Korea sticks to current policy and defy U.S., it may also be hit with financial sanctions as enablers to N. Korean regime. Kim Jong-il has a lot to worry about. U.S. no longer shows accomodating gestures. Either N. Korea accepts U.S. terms or else....

Besides, there was a report that U.S. might hit Iran with mini-nukes, which Bush dismissed as wild speculation. However, hitting N. Korea with mini-nukes may not be the wild speculation. Iran's nuclear development is several years behind N. Korea's. If anybody would be hit with mini-nukes, it would be N. Korea not Iran. So this little media happening may not sound innocuous to Kim Jong-il.

A very interesting event happened several months ago in Macau, China. A bank run by the Chinese generals was closed by international agencies for money laundering. Most of the investigators were Americans, acting in concert with international agencies at the behest of Bejing. The accounts closed were owned by Kim Il Jung, his family and inner circle of his power. The Chinese leadership is divided into two groups, the business class and the military class, constantly clashing on foreign policy. The PLA generals handiwork are well known, funneling of money to US elections, selling weapons technology (nuke and missiles) to Iran, North Korea, Pakistan and heroin trade. They were acting independently of the rest of the CCP, motivated by their own version of strategy and at the same time lining their pockets with profits. The business class fraction is no better than the PLA fraction when it comes to dealing with the US, but they do not want their business markets destroyed by war either. The PLA generals have been nudered, many of the ones involved in past nefarious activities were forced to retire or reassigned. It does not mean China is more friendlier, just that she will use less direct approach in dealing with US power, and use economic power. A wild North Korea does not fit into this Chinese policy and I think Kim is slowly feeling the pressure. You must understand the Chinese approach to screwing someone. They do it slowly and insidiously. Their approach takes more time, less glorious (like kicking in the door with guns blazing) and costs alot less in casualties/resources. I think the Chinese will defang Kim, replace him with another Korean, or destabilize the country and move in with troops and install a puppet government. If the Chinese moves in, they will stay and use it as a bargaining chip to force US forces out of the Korean Peninsula in return withdraw and let the two Koreas unify. IMHO I think that is the Chinese game plan.

Re #5

They do it slowly and insidiously. Their approach takes more time, less glorious (like kicking in the door with guns blazing) and costs alot less in casualties/resources. I think the Chinese will defang Kim, replace him with another Korean, or destabilize the country and move in with troops and install a puppet government. If the Chinese moves in, they will stay and use it as a bargaining chip to force US forces out of the Korean Peninsula in return withdraw and...

I can agree up to this part that this is part of Chinese game plan.

let the two Koreas unify. IMHO I think that is the Chinese game plan.

In my opinion, they would rather keep N. Korea under their firm influence, officially independent but a de-facto satellite. It will be China's clone and less belligerent.

China always wanted the US to leave East Asia and cede the area to Chinese influence. Making the US leave South Korea in return China withdraws from North Korea is good PR for China plus it forces South Korea to spend money modernizing and feeding North Korea. Otherwise China will have to assume such duties if they physcially occupy it herself. With the US out, China will influence Korea through economics backed by her growing modern military and geographical proximity.

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