Spring Break
Multilateral talks with North Korea needed
Michael Hubbarb
Issue date: 10/11/04 Section: Commentary
During Bill Clinton's presidency, bilateral talks with North Korea were the norm. These talks brought appeasement and no tangible proof that North Korea had discontinued their nuclear weapons program. Clinton bought himself time and passed the "hot potato" onto the Bush administration. These bilateral talks were a complete and utter failure.
The U.S. gave North Korea half a million metric tons of oil annually to broker an end to North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Meanwhile, North Korea not only continued their weapons program, but in 2002 sold nuclear weapon technology to Iran.
Today Kim Jong-il, the dictator of North Korea, wants bilateral talks with the United States. He wants to separate U.S. from our allies. His goals can best be summed up by Kang Myong-To, a defector from North Korea, who said, "North Korea's nuclear development is not intended as a bargaining chip as seen by the Western world. ... [Pyongyang] sees nuclear development as the only means to maintain Kim Jong-il's regime." Kim Jong-il's nuclear program is a means to extort money and aid from the United States. Without U.S. aid North Korea would face mass-starvation. Currently, the U.S. gives more aid to North Korea than any other nation in the region. With bilateral talks, the U.S. would not be buying a solution, but rather buying time.
If bilateral talks between the U.S. and North Korea start, the multinational talks will break down. China, Russia, South Korea and Japan need to stay in the talks with North Korea. These nations have as much, if not more, of a right to be included in the discussion. China, Russia and South Korea all border North Korea, while Japan is just a stone's throw away (or at least within missile range). If North Korea decides to take the offensive all of these nations are at risk.
Additionally, each nation has a historical connection to North Korea. For instance, Japan governed the Koreas in the period between the Russo-Japanese War and World War II. Further, South Korea is still technically at war with North Korea. In fact, North China gave vast amounts of aid to the North Koreans during the Korean War. North Korea would not exist as a state if not for China. It is even thought that China gave North Korea nuclear capabilities. In any event, it is in each of these nation's best interests to have a nuclear weapon free North Korea. The U.S. has no business unilaterally negotiating with North Korea.
The U.S. gave North Korea half a million metric tons of oil annually to broker an end to North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Meanwhile, North Korea not only continued their weapons program, but in 2002 sold nuclear weapon technology to Iran.
Today Kim Jong-il, the dictator of North Korea, wants bilateral talks with the United States. He wants to separate U.S. from our allies. His goals can best be summed up by Kang Myong-To, a defector from North Korea, who said, "North Korea's nuclear development is not intended as a bargaining chip as seen by the Western world. ... [Pyongyang] sees nuclear development as the only means to maintain Kim Jong-il's regime." Kim Jong-il's nuclear program is a means to extort money and aid from the United States. Without U.S. aid North Korea would face mass-starvation. Currently, the U.S. gives more aid to North Korea than any other nation in the region. With bilateral talks, the U.S. would not be buying a solution, but rather buying time.
If bilateral talks between the U.S. and North Korea start, the multinational talks will break down. China, Russia, South Korea and Japan need to stay in the talks with North Korea. These nations have as much, if not more, of a right to be included in the discussion. China, Russia and South Korea all border North Korea, while Japan is just a stone's throw away (or at least within missile range). If North Korea decides to take the offensive all of these nations are at risk.
Additionally, each nation has a historical connection to North Korea. For instance, Japan governed the Koreas in the period between the Russo-Japanese War and World War II. Further, South Korea is still technically at war with North Korea. In fact, North China gave vast amounts of aid to the North Koreans during the Korean War. North Korea would not exist as a state if not for China. It is even thought that China gave North Korea nuclear capabilities. In any event, it is in each of these nation's best interests to have a nuclear weapon free North Korea. The U.S. has no business unilaterally negotiating with North Korea.