By Chung Min-uck
Experts expressed cautious optimism Friday about the resumption of a multilateral meeting aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
“China’s key negotiator said he is confident of restarting the talks. He wouldn’t have said it if there wasn’t any progress in talks with the U.S.,” said Choi Jin-wook, an analyst at the Korea Institute of National Unification. “It would be humiliating for China if there is no progress for the six-party talks in the near future.”
The analyst added that Beijing and Pyongyang now understand that Washington will not return to the talks if they do not listen to what the key stakeholder is asking for.
The U.S. and South Korea hold the position that the North must demonstrate its seriousness about denuclearization through actions before resuming the talks.
In contrast, China and North Korea have been urging an immediate resumption.
“Beijing and Pyongyang must have turned their positions so as to match the U.S. before a visit to the U.S. by Wu Dawei,” said Choi.
Optimism grew after Wu, China’s senior representative and chairman of the six-party forum, met with his American counterpart Glyn Davies in Washington, Tuesday, and told reporters that he was “confident” the talks would be resumed and that the two countries were working to find a “common denominator.”
Although he did not provide any specifics about when they would resume, experts view it as a turning point in the current stalemate surrounding North Korea’s nuclear program.
The disarmament talks, which began in 2003, have been stalled since late 2008 after North Korea walked out to protest the U.N.’s condemnation of a banned rocket launch.
Its latest Feb. 12 nuclear test, which took place at a time when Beijing and Seoul were experiencing a leadership change, also had a negative effect on resuming the talks.
Responding to the situation, Cho Tae-yong, Seoul’s chief nuclear envoy is scheduled to visit the U.S., and a high-ranking diplomat from North Korea is in China for more talks.
Meanwhile, some experts are still skeptical about Washington’s position.
“I don’t think the talks will be resumed that quickly given the U.S. position,” said Paik Hak-soon, a researcher at the Sejong Institute. “North Korea’s nuclear issue isn’t a priority nor an urgent issue for U.S.”
The researcher was referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping boldly urging U.S. President Barack Obama for an immediate resumption of the six-party talks during the recent G20 summit.
“Fundamentally, the U.S. is trying to stick to the status quo,” he said.
According to satellite images released by a U.S. think tank, North Korea has restarted operations of its plutonium-producing nuclear reactor in its Yongbyon facility and is also preparing for more rocket tests.
muchung@koreatimes.co.kr,
