Roh’s Opening Offer
“South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun will press President Bush in a meeting in Washington on Friday to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to a diplomatic resolution of the North Korean nuclear standoff, according to South Korean officials familiar with Roh’s plans. Roh intends to underscore Seoul’s position that any military option is “unacceptable.”
In exchange, Roh will offer assurances that South Korea will support sharper U.S. measures to get the North to return to stalled international disarmament talks if “the diplomatic path becomes clearly exhausted.”
Such measures could include support for referring North Korea to the U.N. Security Council, a move that South Korea has so far privately opposed. ”
“Clearly exhausted” sounds broad enough to drive a truck through it. And of course, it’s China, not South Korea, that really has the potential to wreck U.N. sanctions.