US and China Urge North Korea to Return to Talks

Both China and the US call for North Korea to return to Six-Party Talks and hash out a plan to end North Korean nuclear research. The US secretary of state traveled to Japan, China, South Korea and Russia, urging a multilateral effort in putting a halt to any attempt by North Korea to trade nuclear wares. China, once reticent about imposing harsh measures on its destitute neighbor, has undoubtedly grown weary of North Korean defiance. Any delay in putting a stop to North Korean research encourages Asian neighbors, from Japan to Iran, to consider and speed their own weapons programs. Chinese analysts suggest that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il – after his most recent nuclear test – may be eager to resume negotiations and see what he can get to stop the nuclear program. Other analysts suggest that Kim has hinted to the Chinese a willingness to return to Six-Party Talks, but expects some concession from the US to save face. Rumors likewise abound about an apology from Kim to the Chinese for the recent nuclear test. The back-and-forth dialogue, along with unity between China and the US, provides a shred of hope that diplomacy and international cooperation can end the standoff. – YaleGlobal