AP - "Analysis: US leery of direct talks with NKorea"

[TomCADem]

Kim Jong Il seems to have taken negotiation lessons from the GOP or perhaps the reverse is true.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hqVsvaS4WO_7LXrY6kWGS5B6IB_AD9B5SKLG0

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North Korea's suggestion that it may return to nuclear negotiations could open the way to its first talks with the Obama administration, but there are warning signs that the North has no intention of fully disarming.

The administration is eager to get North Korea on track toward giving up its nuclear weapons capability even though the White House remains leery of the regime's pattern of progress followed by provocation.

The North agreed in 2007 to dismantle its nuclear arms program but then reversed course. Last April and May it conducted nuclear and missile tests, coupled with a declaration that negotiations were dead, then reversed course again, reaching out to the U.S. after former President Bill Clinton met in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. The former president was there to win the freedom of two American journalists held in prison.

The State Department on Tuesday declined to comment on news reports that Kim told Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday that he might be prepared to resume so-called six party negotiations with the U.S., China, Russia, Japan and South Korea. Kim was reported to have said a resumption depended on progress in talks with the U.S.

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Bruce Bennett, a North Korea watcher at the RAND Corp. think tank, said it appears the North Koreans are trying to "bait" the Americans into negotiations that have no realistic chance of achieving disarmament.

"I don't think North Korea at this stage is willing to give up its nuclear weapons," Bennett said in an interview. "It would appear the North Korean objective is to be recognized as a nuclear power, not to denuclearize."

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[Cha]

1. Kinda like a setup to

FAIL..situation? So the Obama admin will have another "stunning failure" to get spread across the corporatemediawhoredom and DU?

[TomCADem]

2. I Think This Is Why The Obama Administration Is Working Through China...

Because if China vouches for North Korea, then North Korea reneges, then China also loses face.

[Cha]

3. Hadn't thought of that..very interesting. I've just

been defending the whole "Obama won't see the Dalai Lama before he goes to China" brigrade.

These guys are nothing if not looking at the Whole Big Picture and trying to get their Ducks in a Row even if some people don't understand why a certain Duck is not the order they would have in.

Obama and his Team don't want to go this alone..they need friends with them to clamp down on the Rogues and they know how to go about it.

[grantcart]

4. There is a working agreement among the 5 parties not to conduct bi lateral talks with NK so that

NK doesn't try and play them off against each other.

NK regular moves between accepting and rejecting this proposal.