Nevertheless, Bush administration officials argue, with some justification, that this week's episode in the negotiations is big victory for their diplomacy with the North. "There's no question that the end of Yongbyan is significant," says Ralph Cossa, President of the Pacific Forum, a think tank affiliated with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. It eliminates the source of the plutonium that Kim has used to build his bombs.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions; accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in these publications should be understood to be solely those of the authors.
