AP: U.S. Offers Bilateral Talks With N.Korea

[Eugene]

U.S. Offers Bilateral Talks With N.Korea

SEOUL, South Korea Jul 8, 2006 (AP)— A U.S. envoy expressed support
for China's proposal to hold informal six-party talks on the North
Korean nuclear threat and offered to meet bilaterally with North
Korea on the sidelines of those discussions.

U.S. envoy Christopher Hill was in Seoul on a tour of regional capitals
to coordinate the international response to the North's test-firing
of seven missiles on Wednesday. The tests caused an international
outrage but also division over whether North Korea should be punished.

<snip>

Full article: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2167361

[Selatius]

1. Kim could say no dice. He wants true bilateral talks, not a half-assed one

Kim doesn't care if South Korea or China or Japan or Russia are sitting in the next room. Kim wants there to be only one room, and that one room will hold only the US and North Korea. That's what Kim said from the beginning. He wants direct talks with the US. He wants the world to see that it is only North Korea and the US talking. He wants the world to see that North Korea is at eye-level with the mighty US.

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. Isn't this what he wanted all along

and for the last 5 years Bush has refused to even acknowledge him?

Now that Kim's flexing his muscles, BushCo caves and gives him what he's wanted all along. Nice message to send to the rest of the world. If you're not a real threat we will crush you, if you are a real threat we will make all sorts of accommodations.

[cliss]

11. I absolutely agree with

your assessment. The US's approach to diplomacy proves something:

1) You stick to your principles, don't let the U.S. boss you around. Give them the finger when they try to tell you what to do (example: India & nuclear power). If you hold out long enough, you will get exactly what you want.

2) If the US tries to mess with your country or assassinate you, grab a microphone and start blabbing and tell everyone within earshot. That will make them back off.

We're just bringing out the worst in other countries.

[ckramer]

3. Kim is smarter than Bush

there is no doubt on that. Bush just embarrassed himself in front of the whole world. The way Bush talks today comparing to that pre-Iraq war, I don't want to believe this is the same person. He's so humble right now when he talked about North Korea.

[Pavulon]

6. Kim is batshit insane

firing ballistic missiles with no notice, that IF reports are accurate, were headed for us territory is a precursor for a US nuclear launch.

Even the Iranians announce their launches. Kim is playing dice with the lives of millions of people.

He is a dictator, responsible for the deaths of millions of his own by starvation, and has robbed us before.

Let him twist. He has no options. Start a Korean war, launch more big dong missiles?

He is proper fucked.

[Paulie]

8. The Korean War never ended

And we were hearing about the launches in the press a week or so beforehand. Since we don't have direct dialog with the North, how could they tell us?

All this crap started with that "Axis of Evil" crap from a few years back. Pissed off Iran and North Korea, for what, so * could play cowboy (all hat)?

[Pavulon]

9. Light water reactor deal

was scuttled by them when they began enriching. They can put out a press release, like Iran(no official relations). At x time we will be firing a X missile. It would be wise not to fire it over japan or near the conus.

Iran had been a problem since carter was in office, N korea the late eighties.

[Vidar]

12. Still doesn't preclude him being smarter than Bush.

[yojon]

7. Aren't most people?

:-)

[NicoleM]

4. This is what George W. said

YESTERDAY about bilateral talks:

"One thing I'm not going to let us do is get caught in the trap of sitting at the table alone with the North Koreans, for example. In my judgment, if you want to solve a problem diplomatically you need partners to do so."

and

"My concern -- I said this publicly a lot -- my concern about being -- you know, handling this issue bilaterally is that you run out of options very quickly."

Press conference transcript

[emald]

5. GWBushit emphatically stated that this wouldn't happen

there would be no bi lateral meetings. does this clueless idiot have any idea what a forien policy is?

[MaineDem]

10. Bush said a lot yesterday that isn't, well, truthful

I think he may even have - shhhh - lied.

This administration is a dangerous gang that couldn't shoot straight.