North Korea has released a memorandum from its foreign ministry what explains in detail its approach to the six-party talks on the nuclear issue. While there is no change from its previous position, the document is more concrete and you are able to read something of the North's thinking about the six-party process. It was intentional that North chose a time when Chinese deputy foreign minister Wu Dawei is in Seoul.
It was inappropriate for the memorandum to say that nothing requires the North maintain its break from missile testing, because even if that was said as leverage to get more attention it could cause unnecessary discord. No party should do anything that could aggravate the situation when it is already tense.
Still, it looks like overall, the document places more weight on bettering the North's negotiating position. Saying the North will go to the talks if there are "conditions for participating and justification," it demands the United States withdraw its hostile policy towards the North and adopt a peaceful policy of coexistence, and an withdraw of and apology for the "end of tyranny" comment. One Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade official says that what North Korea is demanding is not "conditions" but the right "mood." What that means is that various countries are working to set the mood.
There are aspects of the North's concern about regime stability that are reasonable. A large reason for it is the way the administration of US president George W. Bush stresses resolving the nuclear issue peacefully and diplomatically on the one hand, yet meanwhile expressing open hostility on the other. Negotiations require there is basic trust between participants, so with an attitude like that the negotiations will be stuck from the start.
The US at least needs to make a clear pledge not to engage in hostile activity during the six-party talk. We hope it concentrates on the nuclear issue and does not mix in things like human rights. North Korea, for its part, needs to refrain from making unreasonable claims. It will be hard for it to avoid isolation if it speaks with a loud voice while refusing to negotiate even when all countries want to see nuclear weapons abandoned.
The Hankyoreh, 4 March 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] All Must Create Mood Conducive to 6-Party Talks |
