Comments on: What I Think of the Bilateral Talks Talk http://freekorea.us/2009/09/16/what-i-think-of-the-bilateral-talks-talk/ Wed, 23 May 2012 10:34:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: usinkorea http://freekorea.us/2009/09/16/what-i-think-of-the-bilateral-talks-talk/comment-page-1/#comment-69134 usinkorea Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:19:46 +0000 http://www.freekorea.us/2009/09/16/what-i-think-of-the-bilateral-talks-talk/#comment-69134 <blockquote>The focus, of course, shouldn’t be about talks at all.</blockquote> That is one of the key reasons I am against one-on-one talks: when these high up guys sit down on the table, the American or Westerner feels pressure to "get something done" so he can avoid being called a "failure" in the press and be championed for "making progress" -- while the North Korea's primary goal is to make sure nothing really gets done. I think Chris Hill did believe he could "work it out" if just given the shot, and what we witnessed is the prototypical Western approach that fails miserably with such a unique state like NK. The 6 party talks were obviously going to be "harder" to "work things out" but since there is no chance we're going to work out something that is real and tangible and substanative enough for the US and rest of the world, who cares? Those other governments have to play a part in whatever new deal we eventually cut and try to follow until we give up and scrap it and wait until we can sit down with the North again and cut another deal...So why not force them to sit at the table too?

The focus, of course, shouldn’t be about talks at all.

That is one of the key reasons I am against one-on-one talks: when these high up guys sit down on the table, the American or Westerner feels pressure to “get something done” so he can avoid being called a “failure” in the press and be championed for “making progress” — while the North Korea’s primary goal is to make sure nothing really gets done.

I think Chris Hill did believe he could “work it out” if just given the shot, and what we witnessed is the prototypical Western approach that fails miserably with such a unique state like NK.

The 6 party talks were obviously going to be “harder” to “work things out” but since there is no chance we’re going to work out something that is real and tangible and substanative enough for the US and rest of the world, who cares? Those other governments have to play a part in whatever new deal we eventually cut and try to follow until we give up and scrap it and wait until we can sit down with the North again and cut another deal…So why not force them to sit at the table too?

]]> By: Joshua Stanton http://freekorea.us/2009/09/16/what-i-think-of-the-bilateral-talks-talk/comment-page-1/#comment-69130 Joshua Stanton Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:12:54 +0000 http://www.freekorea.us/2009/09/16/what-i-think-of-the-bilateral-talks-talk/#comment-69130 Unf, that's from a source I can't link or name, but what I hear and believe is that Clinton urged the North Koreans to invite Bosworth to P'yang, which they did. That's obviously different than the official story, which is that Clinton was there solely on a private humanitarian mission to fetch Ling and Lee. Unf, that’s from a source I can’t link or name, but what I hear and believe is that Clinton urged the North Koreans to invite Bosworth to P’yang, which they did. That’s obviously different than the official story, which is that Clinton was there solely on a private humanitarian mission to fetch Ling and Lee.

]]> By: Glans http://freekorea.us/2009/09/16/what-i-think-of-the-bilateral-talks-talk/comment-page-1/#comment-69129 Glans Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:27:50 +0000 http://www.freekorea.us/2009/09/16/what-i-think-of-the-bilateral-talks-talk/#comment-69129 Bilateral talks, NK & PRC. A "special envoy of Hu Jintao...had a candid and in-depth exchange of views" with the NK vice-minister of Foreign Affairs. But this KCNA report doesn't terll us what the two sides said to each other. http://www.kcna.co.jp/ September 16, 2009 Jche 98 Bilateral talks, NK & PRC. A “special envoy of Hu Jintao…had a candid and in-depth exchange of views” with the NK vice-minister of Foreign Affairs. But this KCNA report doesn’t terll us what the two sides said to each other.

http://www.kcna.co.jp/
September 16, 2009 Jche 98

]]> By: Glans http://freekorea.us/2009/09/16/what-i-think-of-the-bilateral-talks-talk/comment-page-1/#comment-69128 Glans Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:12:46 +0000 http://www.freekorea.us/2009/09/16/what-i-think-of-the-bilateral-talks-talk/#comment-69128 Kim Jong Il - Bill Clinton - substantive discussions. Joshua, you say, "Kim Jong Il can snap his fingers, summon Bill Clinton, and (despite Clinton’s denials) engage in substantive discussions just weeks after a nuke test." How do you know Kim Jong Il and Bill Clinton engaged in substantive discussions? Kim Jong Il – Bill Clinton – substantive discussions. Joshua, you say, “Kim Jong Il can snap his fingers, summon Bill Clinton, and (despite Clinton’s denials) engage in substantive discussions just weeks after a nuke test.” How do you know Kim Jong Il and Bill Clinton engaged in substantive discussions?

]]>