Foreign Policy Blogs

Today in Diplomacy: U.S. Tries Direct Talks with North Korea

Time Magazine is reporting that today U.S. special envoy Stephen Bosworth is headed to Pyongyang, North Korea to begin a day and a half of talks regarding a return to the “six-party talks” format that prevailed under the Bush Administration.

According to the article, “North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Il has previously declared the six-party talks “dead,” saying only direct negotiation with the U.S. on a range of issues is acceptable. But pressure from China — thought to be the only country with any leverage over Pyongyang — may have produced a change of heart.”

Although expectations for the talks are low, there is optimism that the recent visit by Former President Bill Clinton may have eased ongoing tensions between the two nations, thus creating the opportunity for future discussions.

The full Time article can be read online here

 

Author

Neshani Jani

FPA blogger Neshani Jani holds a Masters degree in Media Culture and Communication from New York University and dual Bachelors degrees in Anthropology and Spanish Literature from the University of California, Davis. She is a freelance writer and is currently helping to manage blog networks for the Foreign Policy Association and the Women's Education Project.

Neshani has a background in journalism and interned with the CBS News program 60 Minutes. Additionally, she is a public and internet radio veteran. She has worked as a research assistant at both the Social Science Research Council and at the Institute for Scientific Analysis and currently blogs for several of the Foreign Policy Association's global affairs blogs.