North Korea! What a case, what a timing, what a crisis! All the arguments are now in the public domain. And the UN has spoken.

Pyongyang should return to the six-party talks. This is good for it, the region and the world.

As a prelude, I think both the US and North Korea should issue binding Declarations of Good Intent. It is obvious that, somehow, this queer conflict is being exacerbated by mutual hostility between both countries.

It's time to truly talk. Ban Ki-Moon, new UN sec-gen, has his job cut out on this.