Monday, April 14, 2003
DID THE DPRK JUST BLINK? It all depends on how much significance one reads into the following phrase of a Foreign Ministry spokesman:
This would appear to imply a slightly opening window. However, in the same KCNA piece that contains this phrase are also all sorts of the usual stuff:
More of the same or sign of change?
UPDATE: Some in South Korea are heartened by the announcement.
If the U.S. is ready to make a bold switchover in its Korea policy for a settlement of the nuclear issue, the DPRK will not stick to any particular dialogue format.
This would appear to imply a slightly opening window. However, in the same KCNA piece that contains this phrase are also all sorts of the usual stuff:
As the DPRK is not a signatory to the NPT, there is no ground whatsoever to internationalize the nuclear issue and any attempt to do so would make its solution quite impossible.The outcome of the meeting of the UNSC held on April 9 clearly indicated that the nuclear issue is a matter to be settled between the DPRK and the U.S.
The DPRK's call for direct talks is aimed to confirm whether the U.S. has a political willingness to drop its hostile policy toward the DPRK or not.
More of the same or sign of change?
UPDATE: Some in South Korea are heartened by the announcement.
