Equally important, negotiators should focus early on obtaining a North Korean commitment that it will halt illicit procurements from abroad for its nuclear programs and end the proliferation of its nuclear technology. The latter is especially important for negotiations to establish in a verifiable manner. While waiting for negotiations to bear fruit, the United States and its allies will face two interconnected challenges. They must slow down North Korea’s centrifuge program, or at least make progress more costly and visible to the international community. In addition, they must ensure that North Korea does not.
