quote:Joint statement calls for security, energy assurances
BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Nearly three years after ordering U.N. nuclear inspectors out of the country, North Korea Monday agreed to give up its entire nuclear program, including weapons, a joint statement from six-party nuclear arms talks in Beijing said.
Wow, when did this happen? I didn't follow the situation very closely lately, but still I think this is kind of out of the blue... o_O Well, anyway, good for them, I guess.
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Let there be hope.
Posted by DarkKnight (Member # 7536) on :
Well, it's positive news and positive news doesn't sell anymore, if it ever did.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I really like it when diplomacy works.
Posted by TheHumanTarget (Member # 7129) on :
N. Korea agrees to give up nuclear program...free to a good home.
Iran is said to be interested if their scientists can commit to taking care of it...
Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :
Hasn't this happened several times already?
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
Until they actually pony up the nukes, I ain't believing nothing.
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
Diplomacy with North Korea? That's bound to work!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
As well as it did for Iraq...
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
This really doesn't surprise me. They aren't worried about being invaded, they wanted the nukes for two reasons, one was to sell to Middle Eastern countries like Pakistan, for a tidy sum, and the other to lord over the US in return for something.
But now Iran has pledged to make everyone in the Middle East a nuclear power, removing the possibility of sale. So they turn in their last marker for free food and guarantees of free energy. All in all, very good deal for North Korea.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
And in another 30 years after Kim has died, and China is a super power "second to none" they'll probly begin another program, assuming they don't unify with south korea by then.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
All I have to say is that if we're talking and not shooting, the distrust and skepticism can go on forever, as far as I'm concerned.
Go for it!
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
Unfortunately talking doesn't go on forever, Bob. At least not with nations such as North Korea. Sure, that's not a proven fact, but given human history in general and North Korean history in particular, it's just a hair short of fact.
What if by talking now we guarantee only greater death and devastation later?
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
The devastation and death now would be a certainty, the devastation and death in the future is only a possbility, allow us our hope, hope guides us.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I believe that Blayne is right.
Also, since there is no proof that going to war would actually avoid a greater amount of death later, I prefer the certainty of no deaths now.
It may not matter much in the equations of risk assessment, but it matters a great deal (I suspect) to the people whose lives are the ones that go into making the statistics.
Every day there's talk instead of bullets is a good day, as far as I'm concerned.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
Thanks mr Scopatz. Now read my recent thread about Chavez and his encredible speech to the UN.
Posted by Celebrindal (Member # 8466) on :
"North Korea insisted Tuesday it won't dismantle its nuclear weapons program until the U.S. gives it civilian nuclear reactors, casting doubt on a disarmament agreement reached a day earlier during international talks. Washington reiterated its rejection of the reactor demand and joined China in urging North Korea to stick to the agreement announced Monday in which it pledged to abandon all its nuclear programs in exchange for economic aid and security assurances."(yahoo.com)
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
I can just see the Onion headline:"North Korea demands nuclear reactor, pony, and trip to Disney World for disarmament."
Posted by andi330 (Member # 8572) on :
Unfortunately, N. Korea has decided to reinterpret the wording of the agreement and make a new demand which the U.S. and Russia are not prepared to agree to. *sigh*
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Well, that was a couple of days after the USAdministration said: We don't believe that NorthKorea intends to cease developing nuclear weapons.
When the other side of a business negotiation publicly calls ya a liar...
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
Well it's certainly not one-sided, aspectre. All the constant talk, for instance, about how the US is so unfair to be itching to get rid of NK, like we tried in the fifties...right after they invaded their neighbors, and haven't tried since.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Frankly, I think Dubya&Gang want to create enemies as an excuse to con Americans into allowing the continuance of the development&"deployment" of the non-functional "missile defense system" so neo"conservative"s can play StarWars.
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
*shrug* You could be right. I don't know.
But whether or not you ARE right about that, the North Koreans are not a manufactured enemy.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Well it's certainly not one-sided, aspectre. All the constant talk, for instance, about how the US is so unfair to be itching to get rid of NK, like we tried in the fifties...right after they invaded their neighbors, and haven't tried since.