Robert Gallucci, the head of the U.S. delegation to the nuclear talks in Geneva, said he was reasonably certain that North Korea under new leader Kim Jong Il will be ready to resume the talks in coming weeks.
In Berlin Tuesday, President Clinton said the next move regarding the talks was "basically in their court."
He said at a news conference that he was watching closely developments in North Korea.
"We're concerned about what might happen, obviously," he said, adding that decisions on Korean leadership are "for them to make, and their future is in their hands."
There was no evidence to suggest Kim was abandoning the commitment his father made just last month to freeze his nuclear program while engaging in direct talks with Washington on a settlement of nuclear, economic and diplomatic issues. Yet some observers saw less hope for a breakthrough in Geneva.
"We are right now in never-never land," said William Taylor of the private Center for Strategic and International Studies, who met Kim Il Sung during a visit to North Korea last spring and is a longtime observer of the region.
The North Koreans likely will use the death of their "Great Leader" -- as Kim Il Sung is known in the country he led since its split from the south in the 1940s -- as an excuse to stall in Geneva, Taylor said.
The result: "No agreement is going to happen, and we'll go right back to crisis."
Taking a similar view, former CIA director Robert Gates said in an interview with The Associated Press from Big Lake, Washington, that he expects the younger Kim to reaffirm his father's commitment to negotiating with Washington on the nuclear issue. But he also saw less chance the talks will succeed.
Gates believes Kim Jong Il, 52, will feel compelled to bow to the wishes of his generals, who in Gates' view are opposed to abandoning the development of nuclear weapons. Kim does not enjoy the degree of loyalty from the generals that his father did, since the younger Kim did not have the war-fighting experience of his father.
"He's going to have to be more attentive to the senior generals," Gates said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.