The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2007

Armistice Commission, set up to monitor the cease-fire at the end of the Korean War, with a three-party “peace mechanism.” This could be a vehicle for resolving disputes like the 1996 shooting down of a U.S. recon- naissance helicopter that strayed across the DMZ or the repeated incursions of North Korean spy sub- marines, as well as for negotiating confidence-building measures. Much attention has been paid to verification, and the irreconcilables have made the most of it. They have been pushing for intrusive inspections —what a top State Department offi- cial once dismissed as a “national proctological exam” — in hopes that North Korea would resist, deadlocking talks. Other officials have devised a better way to proceed. Instead of negotiating to inspect all the items on North Korea’s initial declaration, they sought the dismantling of facilities and removal of nuclear material and technology on the list. Only then would the right to inspect “any time, anywhere” be invoked to clear up anomalies. When the issue came to a head in the State Department in 2004, Secretary of State Colin Powell sided with those who gave primacy to elimination over inspection. The irreconcilables insist Pyong- yang will never live up to its pledge, made in the September 2005 round of the Six-Party Talks, to abandon “all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.” How can they be so sure? The fact is, with the possible exception of Kim Jong-il, nobody knows. And the only way for Washington to find out is to proceed, reciprocal step by reciprocal step, in sus- tained negotiations to reconcile with Pyongyang in return for its disarming. F O C U S J U LY- A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 35 As an interim step to a peace treaty, peace agreements, though militarily less meaningful, may be a politically useful way to proceed. SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE AMERICA S I NCE 1 9 7 1 2007 represents our 37 th year helping to maintain America’s fleet of vehicles throughout the world. All of us at D & M consider it an honor to have worked with all of you through these years. We are aware of the importance of your official and private vehicles, forklifts, generators, tools and equipment. We look forward to continuing this service in a professional manner. We are here to help, just ask! Gary Vlahov www.dmauto.com (516) 822-6662; FAX: (516) 822-5020; E-mail: info@dmauto.com