Rice (grain, not Condi) demand nukes Korean 'peace regime'

[bemildred]

Source: Asia Times

SEOUL - The concept of a "peace regime" has come into vogue as the favorite catchphrase of Korean negotiators and think-tankers as they plan for a future of reconciliation and pan-Korean unification once they've done away with a few lingering annoyances to do with US bases and North Korean nukes.

But this idyllic vision of peace and goodwill clashed with hard realities in ministerial-level North-South Korean talks that ended in bitter dispute on Friday. The sticking point was the North's demand for rice and the South's refusal to send anything until the North shuts down the five-megawatt reactor at its nuclear complex at Yongbyon.

The failure to paper over differences marked the worst setback so far in efforts to get North Korea to live up to the terms of the six-nation agreement of February 13 in which the North promised to turn off the reactor within 60 days, by April 14.

The South Korean side, talking up a "peace regime" for the whole peninsula, was fortunate to have come out of the talks with a less-than-face-saving joint statement in which North and South agreed to "continue to study the issues to promote peace, reconciliation and cooperation".

Read more: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/IF02Dg01.html