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This author urges rapid movement past the Banco Delta Asia obstacle, and further, though sympathetic with Japan, past concerns over Japanese citizens kidnapped in the 1970's and 80's.

Indeed negotiations are exasperating, especially on those rare occasions when a lesser power gains a strong position from which to negotiate. The rich and powerful are never very comfortable in such circumstances.

The points here are three:

1. The goal and potential rewards here are astronomical. The chance to pull the plug on the otherwise inevitable domino-effect nuclearization of Northeast Asia is invaluable.
1. Now is NOT the time to confound the conversation. The counterfeiting issue, and the missing citizens are important surely, but please, one thing at a time.
2. Related to this is the incredible leap being considered by North Korea. Think of what they are being asked to give up! And in return besides "cash" they gain nothing more than to become utterly dependent on the good will of the more powerful nations with whom they are negotiating. (Would you trust the US, China, Russia, et al?)
3. The whole matter is one of pride. Avoid all trifles that introduce humiliation to North Korea. These important matters can be addressed at another time.
   

Finally, Japan should resist falling onto the outside of a positive communal outcome as matters hopefully return to on track. With both pro-North, and pro-South Koreans there, Japan is in many ways one of the keys to stabilization of the region. It is crucial that Japan retain a position from which it can remain deeply integrated into long term engagement with North Korea, helping it to grow, mature and prosper post de-nuclearization. With Korea's mineral wealth, Japan stands to gain a great deal through such a relationship, if it can keep its eyes on the long-term future.

clipped from news.yahoo.com Envoy: NKorea refuses to join nuke talks BEIJING - International talks on North Korea's nuclear program stalled again Tuesday, with Pyongyang refusing to take part until it receives $25 million from a bank blacklisted by the United States, Japan's chief envoy said. "According to China, North Korea said they will not come to join further discussions until they confirm that their money got into their bank account in China," Sasae said. North Korea boycotted the international nuclear talks for more than a year after the U.S. alleged it was using Banco Delta Asia to launder money and process counterfeit currency.

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk Japan row threat to N Korea talks The comments, carried by the North's official news agency, follow tensions about the fate of Japanese citizens abducted by Pyongyang decades ago. The row threatens to overshadow the six-nation talks taking place in Beijing on a nuclear deal. But Tuesday's session was under threat after North Korea reportedly boycotted a meeting of the chief delegates over another issue that threatens the deal - the lifting of a freeze on its assets in a Macau bank.

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