The good news about nuclear nonproliferation is that Iran and Libya, both of which have long been suspected of harboring nuclear ambitions, have apparently changed their minds. The bad news is that North Korea, which already has nuclear-weapons programs, remains adamant about keeping them, thus clouding the prospects for six-party talks on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

China has been playing an important role as mediator to get the stalled talks moving again, but apparently with little success. The underlying reason for this is psychological: deep mistrust between the United States and North Korea. As yet there are no definitive signs that the two sides are moving toward any breakthrough compromise.

All six nations -- the U.S., North Korea, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia -- must return to the table as soon as possible next year, preferably sometime in January. Dialogue must be accelerated to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction and to build peace and stability in Northeast Asia. A nuclear-free Korean Peninsula is a common goal of the international community, not just the six nations.