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The United States has lured North Korea back to the six-party talks again. It seems the Bush Administration has not been woken up by North Korea’s first nuclear test in October, 2006. This makes me really confused.  

Most people know how to draw lessons from their experiences of failure, but apparently not the Bush team. An article in last week’s Time magazine[1] fully explained Washington’s weak-kneed policy towards Pyongyang’s second nuclear test preparation: “zero-penalty” plus “additional goodies”. 

The U.S. has provided economic aid to North Korea since Pyongyang agreed to provisional freezing of the nuclear program. Even so, the aid alone does not satisfy Pyongyang’s ambitions. The only offer he is waiting for is the release of $24 million of North Korean funds in Macau’s Banco Delta Asia. Right now the money is frozen due to the suspicion that North Korea was counterfeiting U.S. currency.  

Obviously the first successful nuclear test has made North Korea believe it is in a stronger position now. The article predicted that once Pyongyang gets money back, he will be free to carry on with the nuclear project. The so-called six-party talks are just a cover for his real purpose.  

These on-going talks in Beijing have proved that it is hard to make big progress unless North Korea reduces its excessive expectations for energy aid.  

Does North Korea really have any intention of signing an agreement? No. But the U.S., who started the talks, will be reluctant to accept this answer. It seems that our world policeman has lost his way while trying to put the world back into order.

References1 – Time – February 5  2006