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Of time and tactics over DPRK n-issue

P. S. Suryanarayana

Talks on course despite the delay

SINGAPORE: The six-party talks on the "de-nuclearisation of Korean peninsula" have not gone off course, despite the delay in the commencement of the "second phase" of the fourth round. This is clear from the latest statement from China, the host, on the re-scheduling of these talks.

When the talks were adjourned over three weeks ago, the parties — the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia - agreed to begin the second phase sometime during `the week of August 29."

The re-scheduling, without a specific date set as yet, followed another spell of intensive diplomatic efforts by China.

It is in this context that the chief Chinese delegate, Wu Dawei, has noted that the time being spent, during the current inter-session period, to narrow the differences and evolve "consensus" should also be seen as part of the negotiating process.

While the Chinese view reflects the ground reality, instead of being a platitude, the nuanced views of other key players are also in focus behind the scenes.

Japan tends to believe that the resumption of talks will be meaningful only if there is progress, during this inter-session period, on whether or not the DPRK can be allowed to pursue a civilian nuclear-energy programme under suitable "international safeguards."

The riddle is central to the sovereign rights of the DPRK, even if it were to agree now to return to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regime and dismantle its atomic-weapons programme(s), according to Asia-Pacific diplomats.

Defending the proposition that the DPRK should dismantle all its nuclear facilities, irrespective of their end-uses, the chief U.S. delegate, Christopher Hill, has sarcastically remarked that Pyongyang, in the past, "had trouble keeping peaceful energy peaceful!"

A defence-diplomat from the West said "it is politics as usual" for the DPRK to cite the annual U.S.-South Korean military exercises as a new irritant that could hold up the resumption of six-party talks.

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