<|endoftext|>S. and South Korea clearly don��t trust the North, as shown by Seoul��s reluctance to take over operational control of the allies�� forces in the event of war and U.S. Forces Korea��s decision to leave behind a residual force near the demilitarized zone when most American troops are relocated to regional bases south of the capital, planned for next year.
But Washington recently said it��s now open to talks with Pyongyang, and South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Monday that she was willing to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with no preconditions, though both say they would bring up denuclearization. That leaves the possibility of one-on-one talks between the North and either the South or the U.S. or some tripartite arrangement.
When North Korea dropped out of the six-party talks, it swore it would never rejoin them but gave indications in 2012 and 2014 that it might be willing. There also have been unconfirmed reports that Kim may make his first foreign visit soon — to Russia.
Athough it isn��t as desperate for aid as during famine that reportedly devastated the country in 1994-98, the communist North remains one of the world��s poorest countries and likely would be looking at aid of some sort and a relaxation of sanctions and might be interested in expanding the joint economic zone arrangement with the South to bring in hard currency.
One of the more intriguing recent statements from North Korea was a vow to have reunification with the South this year — although it didn��t spell out how.
In his New Year��s Day speech, Kim said he was open to a meeting with South Korea��s president ,��depending on the mood and circumstances to be created.��
It remains unclear whether Pyongyang is willing to negotiate on the issue with the South, where sentiment for a reunified Korea remains strong, particularly as relatives separated during the Korean War age and die.
Park reiterated her desire to work toward reunification during her new year��s address Monday.
The question is whether reunification has the same definition in both countries.
It��s hard to imagine that North Korean leaders would be willing to give up their power and system, particularly since they reportedly have been telling their people, who have little to no access to news from outside the country, that as bad as things are there, they��re worse in the rest of the world.
Whatever happens, full reunification would likely take years to implement, since no one really wants a sudden collapse of the North Korean regime and the nightmares that could mean, from massive waves of refugees trying to cross the borders to possession of the North��s nuclear weapons and fissile materials.
alexander.paul@stripes.com<|endoftext|>U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, left, walks with U.S. Army Gen. John Campbell upon arrival in Kabul, Afghanistan on, Feb. 21. This visit is his international debut. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst)
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A more hopeful outlook for Afghan democracy is the key reason the Obama administration is considering slowing down its troop withdrawal and rethinking the scope of its counterterrorism mission here, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Saturday.
No decisions have been made, but President Barack Obama will discuss a range of options for slowing the U.S. military exit when Afghan President Ashraf Ghani visits the White House next month, Carter said at a joint news conference with Ghani at the Presidential Palace.
The "common denominator" in the new thinking about the U.S. military mission is a belief in Washington that the formation of a unity government in Kabul last year has opened new possibilities for progress not only on the political front but also in the security arena, Carter said.
He said the unity government of Ashraf and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah offers new promise for a more effective partnership with Washington in stabilizing the country. U.S. officials grew impatient with former President Hamid Karzai, who sometimes publicly criticized the U.S. military and took a dimmer view of partnering with the U.S.
"That's a major change," Carter said, "... that just a few months ago we couldn't have planned on."
Obama's current plan calls for troop levels to be cut in half from the present 10,000 by the end of this year and reduced to nearly zero by the end of 2016, while maintaining a security cooperation office in Kabul. Ghani has made it known he thinks that should be slowed down in order to better support Afghan forces battling a resilient Taliban insurgency.
Carter did not describe in detail what changes Obama is considering in the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, but he said it could include slowing the pace of the withdrawal as well as changing the timing and sequencing