Is a US-North Korea Summit a Possibility?
Via K.U. Studies comes news that President Bush may be considering a summit meeting with Kim Jong-il:
U.S. President George W. Bush would likely meet with North Korean Kim Jong-il if the Stalinist state shows its willingness to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, even if its nuclear program is not fully dismantled, a local report said Monday, quoting an unidentified U.S. diplomat.
The Washington source, quoted by the Kyunghyang Shinmun, said the Bush-Kim summit would be “doable” before the end of the Bush administration if Pyongyang is serious about the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
The source said U.S.-North Korea summit talks could take place in the North Korean capital Pyongyang. [Jung Sung-ki, Korea Times]
First of all this report is coming from the Korea Times, which is not the most reliable of newspapers. Secondly, it is coming from the State Department which are the same people that brought us Madeline Albright toasting Kim Jong-il and what did that get us? Thirdly, it would be political suicide for any US president to visit Pyongyang without North Korea completely and verifiably dismantling their nuclear weapons program.
Finally, I believe no US president should visit Pyongyang if North Korea does pull back troops from the DMZ along with improving human rights conditions. If such conditions are not met why reward Kim Jong-il with a visit to Pyongyang? Instead demand he travel to Seoul like he promised Kim Dae-jung in 2000 that he would. A visit by the US president without significant improvements in North Korean behavior will only serve to fulfill North Korean propaganda. Sadly in order to keep "the myth of progress" alive, the US State Department appears willing to do this.
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).
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.
I doubt it. The article sets the bar a bit too high for the "pygmy";
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.
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/middleeas…
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.
[…] 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) […]