Comments on: Is a US-North Korea Summit a Possibility?

By: North Korea Selling Nuclear Material to Syria? at ROK Drop

North Korea Selling Nuclear Material to Syria? at ROK Drop — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 13:36:44 +0000

[...] The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a military action by another government. [Mark Mazzetti & Helene Cooper, New York Times] (HT: bohemian) [...]

By: GI Korea

GI Korea — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 01:10:33 +0000

bohemian thanks for the link. The Syrians are stupider than I ever imagined if they thought the Israelis would sit idly by and let them purchase nuclear equipment from North Korea.

I think Richardson is right that Vershbow is just confirming the US position of total and verifiable nuclear disarmament to the Roh administration.

I have speculated before that I think it is a possibility that NK will give up their nuclear program for the right price but I would be shocked if they gave up the nukes they already have.

By: bohemianinkorea

bohemianinkorea — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:19:51 +0000

Think it’s possible the Norks will get rid of their nuclear material. Look where it might be going….
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/world/middleeast/12syria.html?ei=5090&en=dbc569048e2bfd46&ex=1347249600&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

By: Richardson

Richardson — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:20:13 +0000

If Vershbow and the State Dept. are making public statements, my guess is that the NK regime has already shown an interest in private talks.

I doubt it. The article sets the bar a bit too high for the “pygmy”;

“I think that it (a summit) might be possible before the end of President Bush’s term if North Korea makes the right decisions and is ready to go all the way, not just disablement but full denuclearization,” Vershbow told a security forum.

Anyone think North Korea is up for that? And it would have to be verified.

No, this is, in part, a reply to Roh on the peace treaty issue - denuclearization is still, ‘clearly,’ the U.S. priority. A peace treaty is a distant second.

By: Sonagi

Sonagi — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:07:17 +0000

Bush is almost dead in the water politically, so a Pyongyang photo op with the pygmy would be the political equivalent of a visit with Dr. Kervorkian, and I see nothing wrong with assisted suicide.

If Vershbow and the State Dept. are making public statements, my guess is that the NK regime has already shown an interest in private talks.

A few weeks ago, my mom threw a tiff when the other grandmother decided to give her own birthday party for a granddaughter. My mom felt the other party would “overshadow” her party. I’ll bet Roh had gotten wind of the possible US-NK summit, and he was upse that his trip to Pyongyang might be overshadowed by a historic US presidential visit. If Bush is indeed contemplating paying tribute to to KJI, then Roh and Bush are nothing more than feuding grannies.

By: Richardson

Richardson — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 22:41:17 +0000

The story is also in Reuters with direct quotes from Vershbow.

But the bigger question is; does Kim Jong-il want a summit with the guy who “loathes” him, called him a “pygmy,” and labeled his regime “evil”? Probably not.

Bush is no Clinton (TG for that).