High Alert

" High alert on the Korean Peninsula today and it could have direct effects here in the United States. It's a complicated situation no doubt would try to break it down forty starting with a -- at -- yesterday. That's when the North Korean and South Korean ships met up near a disputed maritime border that's west of the two countries. Both each side accused the other crossing the border. South Korea reports that it's navy killed one North Korean sailor and nearly destroyed the north ship. Now the south says it's ready to respond to any provocation from the north. A few hours later we learned the Obama administration has decided to send Stephen Bosworth to North Korea as a special envoy. His job there convince the leaders to return to six party negotiations. On North Korea's nuclear program. In other words talk the north Koreans in the talking. North Korea's been in and out of those negotiations for years now and it's been a two steps forward one step back situation all along. The north agrees to do one thing and then turns around and does and other so why in the world we think this time would be any different. Let's bring in Jim -- now he's -- international security expert in recent associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He's been directly involved in previous nuclear talks with north region could see. Good to -- use -- yup it seems like same old thing I mean why why should we think this is he different."

" Well because it in part because of the way you described it to step forward two steps forward one step back. On the results guy you know at the end of the day what's the bottom line the bottom line is that when North Korea is involved in negotiations. It's better behaved and we have less problems than when it's not in negotiations when it's outside -- negotiations. That's when it starts throwing stones and nuclear test missile tests and the like when they have been engaged in negotiations actually. Are often productive -- throws their reactor for a decade at that during that decade they were not producing new nuclear material for nuclear weapons so. I think it's for the good frankly I think that's where we're going this is all atmospherics. For what I think it's probably a done deal which is -- expect the north Koreans will return to the six party talks and that there will be direct US North Korea negotiations in parallel with that of course now we're dealing with the aftermath of this conflict between North Korea and South Korea C what do you make what do you make of that. Well you know it -- been an accident but I sort of -- you know you wanna fight the tendency to always assume a master plan. But in this case I think it probably was deliberate. If it is deliberate when you should think of it as just another sort of thing with Reid does often on the eve of negotiations. It will do something to try to create a crisis thinking that gives it leverage at the barking. Table. And I think if that's what they're trying to do than our best response is not to overreact. But the state steady. And pursue our goals our goals are nuclear free peninsula and stability in northeast -- I think we should just keep focused on that cannot be distracted by. The fireworks and is it your sense that South Korea will be equally measured in its actions. I think so I mean North Korea South Korean relations. I haven't been great this last year or so but it's not the only unit that's been that particular we've -- other incidents back in 1999. And in 2002. There weren't able incidents in which there were exchanges of gunfire and then a year after those exchanges. Suddenly you start to have agreements in progress toward some sort of stable -- so. That's in the that's sort what what -- does it it creates a crisis on the eve of going into some sort negotiation that's the case here. Then ironically this may be a good story it -- we're moving towards. Bring order to this disorderly troublesome. A part of the world -- right Jim Jim Walsh -- thank you."