Wednesday, January 15, 2003
CHINA ANNOUNCES THAT IT IS WILLING TO HOST U.S.-NORTH KOREAN NEGOTIATIONS (NYT; free registration required).
Given the very narrow range of options that appear to be preferable to China, it remains to be seen whether it can steer the current crisis in a direction it wants.
Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, who came here after two days of talks in Seoul, will meet with Chinese diplomats on Wednesday. He is expected to ask Beijing to help persuade North Korea, a nominal ally, to back off from its recent nuclear threats and convince it that that the United States has no desire for war.
China also opposes North Korean development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. But neither does it want social chaos or war on its borders, and it hopes to head off harsh international economic sanctions against the North that would send hordes of refugees into China.
"The key at present is for the parties concerned to resume dialogue," a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Zhang Qiyue, said at a regularly scheduled briefing today. "We've had frequent contact with all the parties concerned."
In response to a question, Ms. Zhang said, "If the relevant sides are willing to hold dialogue in Beijing, I think we would have no difficulties with that."
Given the very narrow range of options that appear to be preferable to China, it remains to be seen whether it can steer the current crisis in a direction it wants.
