North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets South Korea's head of national security in Pyongyang. Reuters / Yonhap
Arshad Mohammed & David Brunnstrom, Reuters: North Korea overture seen as tiny step on rocky, unpromising road
In floating the possibility of nuclear talks with the United States, North Korea took a first step on a road likely to be long, more arduous and just as prone to failure as past efforts.
Former U.S. officials who have dealt with the North reacted with deep skepticism to Pyongyang’s offer, made public by South Korea, to hold talks with the United States on denuclearization and to halt nuclear and missile tests while negotiating.
While arguing it is worth testing the waters to see if North Korea is willing to give up its nuclear program, and to glean intelligence from dealing with the secretive nation’s officials, they see virtually no chance Pyongyang will actually do so.
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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 6, 2018
Kim Jong-un, senior South Korean officials meet for first time -- Andrew Salmon, Asia Times
Is North Korea's red carpet a real sign of change or merely a ruse? -- Julian Ryall, DW
Analysis: Summit would be rite of passage for Kim Jong Un -- Eric Talmadge, AP
How Kim Jong Un Seized Control of the Nuclear Crisis -- Uri Friedman, The Atlantic
There's Nothing Shocking About Xi's Rise -- Pankaj Mishra, Bloomberg
Why Vietnam welcomes America’s return -- Pham Chi Dung, Asia Times
Is India snubbing the Dalai Lama? -- Murali Krishnan, DW
Russia replaces America as the power player in the Middle East -- Jessica Mathews, The Hill
Stop Pretending America and Turkey Are Allies -- Doug Bandow, National Interest
Italian election results cast a pall over the European Union -- Raf Casert, AP
Italy Reboots -- Joel Weickgenant, RCW
Italian vote heralds tougher EU stance on migration -- Gabriela Baczynska, Reuters
Do Merkel and Germany Have a Future? -- E. Wayne Merry, National Interest
Rich People Are Ruining Wine … and Napa Valley is forever changing as a result. -- James Conaway, The Atlantic
Time For a Trade War? -- Peter Zeihan, RCW
