korean unification studies

The Associated Press reports that Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill issued the first official denial that the United States had not agreed to take North Korea off the state sponsors of terrorism list. Qualifying the denial Hill stated:

 ”Getting off the list will depend on further denuclearization…They know what these steps are”.

Well, this just seems like a less than amateur diplomatic stuff-up by the US. They fell victim to North Korea’s now well versed negotiating tactics. Hill was speaking, or rather defending US policy, to Japanese reporters in Sydney where he is to meet Japan’s chief nuclear negotiator. A gang of Japanese reporters followed his movements from the plane to the hotel.

The International Herald Tribune headline says it all “Japan sceptical of NKorea’s contention it has met conditions for removal from US terrorism list”. Now that is an understatement. I think a less diplomatic expression would that they are really pissed that the US has gone behind their backs to make a deal with a country that directly threatens Japan’s national security. It goes on to report:

Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, who was in Australia for meetings of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, said he expected to be briefed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on North Korea’s status on the U.S. terror sponsor list.

This is also known in diplomatic terms as a ‘please explain’, or in less diplomatic terms, ‘I want to know what the hell you are doing behind our backs, and I want it from the top, damn it!’ Lets face it, North Korea has once again trumped US negotiators and we are only in the earliest stages of implementing the 13 February Six Party Talks Agreement.

Further views from the blogosphere at DPRK Studies are worth a read….