North Korea Might Disarm With Incentives (AP)

[Eugene]

North Korea Might Disarm With Incentives
S. Korea envoy says N. Korea would abandon nuclear program
to reverse economic decline

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 12, 2006
By BURT HERMAN Associated Press Writer

(AP) South Korea's nuclear envoy said Tuesday that North Korea could be
persuaded to disarm with strong incentives to help reverse its economic
crisis, while China called for flexibility at revived arms talks it is
hosting.

In Tokyo, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said North Korea would have
to submit to inspections by the U.N. atomic watchdog to eventually prove
it had completed its denuclearization.

"Without the proof, we cannot easily trust that they abandoned the plan,"
he said.

North Korea confirmed its participation at the six-nation nuclear talks,
which include the United States, both Koreas, Russia, Japan and China,
and are set to convene Monday in Beijing.

"The talks will be held next week, but it is the moment to watch" how
talks develop, Yonhap news agency quoted Kim Myong Gil, a minister for
North Korea's mission to the United Nations in New York, as saying.
He did not elaborate.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/12/ap/world/mainD8LVBQPO0.shtml

[Donnachaidh]

1. Kim needs some Zunes?

I thought we stopped his ToysRUs subscription? :sarcasm:

[Eugene]

2. Limited deal seen as North Korea talks loom (Reuters)

Limited deal seen as North Korea talks loom

By Carol Giacomo, Diplomatic Correspondent
Reuters
Friday, December 15, 2006; 1:16 AM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The planned resumption next week of six-country talks on North
Korea's nuclear programs has fanned speculation about a U.S.-North Korean trade-off
that is making both supporters and skeptics of a potential deal uneasy.

Critics worry President Bush is still not prepared to show the flexibility needed to persuade
Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear arsenal while advocates of a hard line against the North
fear that Bush, desperate for a foreign policy success, may be too quick to give up too much.

There is no expectation of a major breakthrough in which Pyongyang would embrace
Washington's demand to completely dismantle its nuclear weapons programs, U.S. officials
and experts said on Thursday.

-snip-

But there is a chance that North Korea, having already reaped 10 or more bombs' worth of
plutonium from its Yongbyon nuclear complex, might halt work there in return for American
concessions, Pritchard and other experts said.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/15/AR2006121500080.html

Also:
North Korea may mar nuclear talks with test: minister - Reuters
Russian foreign ministry optimistic on N.Korea talks - Reuters