Word: pyongyang
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...Following North Korea's October nuclear test, the U.S. had also managed to convince the U.N. Security Council to impose wrist-slap sanctions on Pyongyang. But despite the unanimous support for the sanctions resolution, such key players as China and South Korea made clear that there were strict limits to the pressure they would apply, and that the only game in town remains the six-party talks aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon nuclear weapons in exchange for political and economic incentives...
...same page on the issue, the extent of their unanimity will be revealed early in the New Year by the extent to which either side modifies its terms for continuing the six-party process. (Beijing remains the main source of real leverage over the regime in Pyongyang, by virtue of its economic and energy ties...
...North Korean negotiators will spend the year driving their American counterparts crazy. They will also manage to squeeze some concessions out of the U.S. while giving nothing substantial away themselves, and in the meantime continue developing an arsenal of nuclear weapons. That may sound a little pessimistic; after all, Pyongyang did return to the negotiating table this week after boycotting the talks or nearly a year. But after the resumed six-party talks aimed at bringing the North's nuclear program to an end concluded in Beijing, Friday, it was depressingly clear that Dear Leader Kim Jong...
...Last week's talks underlined the painful truth that, right now, Pyongyang is holding most of the cards. The two principals leading the talks with Pyongyang, Washington and Beijing, are seemingly hamstrung. China is scrambling to find a new approach to its wayward client after being blindsided by the North's nuclear test on October 9, which was undertaken despite a specific request for restraint from Chinese President Hu Jintao. Fearful that putting pressure on the North's fragile economy could lead to an implosion that would send hundreds of thousands of refugees streaming into China's north east, Beijing...
...also has few choices. Most analysts say that military action is not even a real option at this stage. Nor does dangling a carrot seem to be very effective. After adamantly refusing to consider concessions as a means to get Pyongyang to cooperate, Washington for the first time last week reportedly gave a written pledge not to attack North Korea and proffered a package of financial aid. But the North was having none...