NKorea offers envoy for Obama inauguration: reports

[sabra]

Source: AP

SEOUL (AFP) — North Korea offered to send its chief nuclear negotiator to next week's inauguration of US President-elect Barack Obama, but Washington has responded coolly, South Korean news reports said Monday.

The JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, quoting a Seoul government source, said the communist state may be trying to assess whether its traditional enemy's policy will change under Obama, who takes office on January 20.

The hardline North, which has been locked in nuclear disarmament talks for years, refrained from its customary criticism of the United States in a policy-setting New Year message.

"The North, through its United Nations mission office in New York, conveyed the message that it can send Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-Gwan as a representative to the inauguration ceremony," the source told JoongAng.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i2_UvukWEEn26mvzaQjWN5S7tDVg?loc=interstitialskip

[ensho]

1. at think they should let him come

nt

[marshall]

3. It'll at least give him a chance to have a decent meal

I say let him in.

[Sultana]

5. LOL

[woundedkarma]

2. Here yah go.

Here's your chance. Let the guy come. (checking him out first of course) At the least have some people meet with him. You said you'd sit down with these countries and talk. Sounds like they're reaching out. (Of course I'm not expecting President Obama to sit down with anyone short of a head of state but his people can do it)

[NBachers]

4. Hell Yes!

Negatives? None that I can think of. The North Koreans are going to keep on doing what they've been doing whether this guy gets a seat at the inauguration of not. Yes, I suppose they could trumpet our acceptance as an acknowledgment of "legitimacy." But they claim their own legitimacy anyway.

Positives? Hell Yes. They don't make a move like this hastily. They've volunteered to come out of their shell. Why not encourage them?

[Posteritatis]

6. Which administration would be responsible for inauguration guests?

Obviously it's Obama's show, but it's also technically Bush's turf until Obama actually swears the oath, and I assume he's going to be engaging in petty turf fights right up until then. If Obama (hypothetically) wants the guy there, could Bush veto the idea at that late a date?