[Editorial] Trust is still key to success of nuclear negotiations

Posted on : 2008-10-04 09:15 KST Modified on : 2008-10-04 09:15 KST

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian affairs Christopher Hill returned to Seoul October 3 after traveling to North Korea on October 1 at the invitation of Pyongyang. The fact that he extended his original schedule by one day indicates that there has been some degree of progress in negotiations with North Korea over nuclear verification. The crisis of the six-party talks running aground appears to have been overcome.

At the core of the nuclear verification controversy is what will be done about other nuclear facilities besides Yongbyon. In connection with this, U.S. sources say that the United States has taken a step back, concentrating primarily on the Yongbyon complex. If Pyongyang submits its verification plan regarding the facilities and activities at Yongbyon that it announced last June to China, the host country of the six-party talks, the United States will provisionally rescind its designation of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. Verification of unreported facilities and activities such as nuclear weaponry, plans for uranium enrichment and nuclear proliferation activities, which the United States initially also demanded, will be negotiated again later based on Pyongyang’s underlying consent.

This plan is a realistic compromise that was inevitable in the current situation. Neither of the two countries is satisfied, but they have obtained a visible result, which suits the basic principle in the six-party talks of action for action. If the United States were to insist on verification for other nuclear facilities and activities besides Yongbyon, which would be difficult even to designate as their identities are unclear, there is a possibility that all of the agreements made thus far would go up in smoke. If the second stage is completed with the disabling of the Yongbyon facilities and the third stage is successfully entered, that in itself would be a considerable result.

The conflict over nuclear inspection shows that the issue of trust is still the key to advancement in the six-party talks. The U.S .inspection plans reported to the media thus far have been based in a thorough mistrust of North Korea, specifying that North Korea is to accede to all demands made by the verification team. According to one nuclear expert, it is content at a level unacceptable to any nation but a defeated one. Pyongyang’s response of restarting its nuclear facilities is also an expression of mistrust toward the United States. Nothing can be accomplished if such mistrust creates a situation of mutual conflict. That some degree of dialogue has been steadily accomplished even amid this conflict is due to the foundation of trust accumulated thus far.

The ultimate goals of the six-party talks are the total dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear programs, normalization of North Korea-U.S. and North Korea-Japan relations, and the establishment of a system of peace. The road ahead is thus very long. What must be kept in mind always are a clear awareness of the goals and realistic plans for carrying them out. Results must be produced at every stage through sincere negotiation, but it is also evident that not everything can be accomplished all at once.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

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