Raise N. Korea’s Priority

Five nations trying to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program started their talks with Pyongyang last month with extremely low expectations -- and failed to meet them.

Unfortunately, the lack of global dismay at North Korea’s freedom to continue nuclear weapons development reflects the low priority the United States has given the problem.

China, the host of February’s talks, tried to win merely a joint statement that would name specific goals for future talks between North Korea and South Korea, the U.S., Japan, Russia and China. The attempt foundered on unspecified objections from North Korea, which makes a practice of being recalcitrant and opaque. China in the end issued a bland claim that “difficulties are gradually being narrowed.”

Beijing, North Korea’s main ally and source of aid, should have made better use of its leverage with Pyongyang.

One axiom of diplomacy is that when all else fails, form a working group. North Korea and the five nations trying to eliminate its weapons program did exactly that. They also agreed to meet formally again before July. The working group might actually accomplish something if it concentrates on technical aspects of freezing North Korea’s weapons development rather than just drawing up new agendas and schedules.

North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty more than a year ago after the U.S. said it had evidence that Pyongyang was developing a uranium-based program and violating an agreement with Washington to freeze its nuclear programs. The U.S. had its hands full with Iraq at the time and never generated the kind of urgency the North Korean weapons issue deserves.

North Korea may be stalling in hopes President Bush loses the November election and yields to a more complaisant president. The Bush administration’s own agenda may also be served by delay: It can cite the talks as evidence of willing partnership with other countries without actually offering Pyongyang anything substantial. That’s a cynical view, but one becoming more widespread in Washington and other capitals.

Waiting for North Korea to collapse -- the hope of Washington hawks -- is more nightmare than dream. South Korea and China both dread the prospect of hundreds of thousands of impoverished refugees crossing into their countries.

As for North Korea, expecting something radically different from a Democrat in the White House also is foolish. China should preach that message to Pyongyang and Washington, pushing for substantive talks that offer North Korea diplomatic and material benefits in exchange for a firm deal to drop its nuclear program.