Tuesday, February 17, 2004
U.S. AND DPRK STRIKE A DEAL ON MIA ISSUES.
U.S. and North Korean negotiators agreed Wednesday to improve markedly several areas of cooperation in operations to recover the remains of American soldiers missing in action from the Korean War.What is going on? Didn't both sides get the memo? The Bush Administration is supposed to be reflexively hard-line and uncompromising in its attempt to frighten North Korea into collapse. On the other hand, the DPRK isn't supposed to cooperate with the imperialist power that is supposedly bent on its complete destruction. Can it be that both sides actually demonstrate some flexibility and ability to compromise?
During talks in Bangkok, Thailand, both sides agreed to resume repatriating remains recovered during joint recovery operations in North Korea across the demilitarized zone at Panmunjom. This practice has not occurred since 1999. U.S. team members will accompany the remains into South Korea. Additionally, supplies and equipment for the 2004 operations will be moved by ground transportation across the DMZ.
“I am encouraged by the level of cooperation the North Koreans demonstrated during these talks,” said Jerry D. Jennings, deputy assistant secretary of defense for POW/missing personnel affairs. “We accomplished much at no additional cost to the U.S. government, and these new procedures will streamline the process of getting our teams in and out of North Korea, and bringing our fallen heroes back home to their families.”
