By Kim Yon-se
Korea Times Correspondent
SYDNEY _ U.S. President George W. Bush passed the ball over to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, demanding Pyongyang make an ultimate decision to dismantle nuclear facilities.
Notably, Bush attached ``mister'' when he mentioned the name of Kim in his talks with South President Roh Moo-hyun, while he formerly called him just ``Kim Jong-il.''
Bush's remarks during his summit with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun means that the launch of negotiating a peace treaty that would end the 1950-53 Korean War is totally up to Kim.
Now the summit between the two Koreas on Oct. 2-4 in Pyongyang has become the center of the world's attention _ on what replies would come out from the mouth of Kim.
The North Korean leader will have no choice but to choose between permanent peace and continuation of military tension next month.
The whole process of inter-Korean relations could become more difficult if the inter-Korean summit talks are not successful.
Depending on Kim's decision, a four-way summit involving the two Koreas, China and the U.S. could take place _ as some professors and politicians anticipated _ as early as this year.
However, regarding the North Korean nuclear issue, some Korean scholars predict that it would be impossible for the South to gain high-level promises.
Kyungnam University political science professor Kim Keun-sik said the demand that North Korea dismantle its main nuclear reactor in Yongbyon immediately after the summit talks is not feasible.
``The maximum result would be confirming the North's strategic willingness to suspend its nuclear development gradually, based on the six-nation agreement on Feb. 13,'' he said.
He presented a desirable scenario in which North Korean leader Kim will stipulate his resolution toward denuclearization in the coming inter-Korean agreements.
``The other scenario is that leader Kim will declare his determination on TV in front of the world,'' he added.
In July, the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses suggested a four-stage roadmap for the peace regime: the preparation stage (from the current time to the declaration of the end of the Korean War); the boosting stage (from the declaration of the war's termination to a peace accord); the transforming stage (from a peace accord to a peaceful coexistence); and the settling stage (from peaceful coexistence to a Korean confederation).
The KIDA report says a declaration of the end of the war between the two Koreas, the U.S. and China will be the first step in the creation of a peace system. It will be followed by international discussions on the transformation of the security structure on the peninsula.
According to the Roh administration's peace scenario, in Stage III, South Korea will conclude a South-North peace agreement, and secure guarantees for it.
The peace regime requires security guarantees by the U.S. and China to enforce the two Koreas' faithful observance of the peace pact.
Following the transition to a peace regime, the scenario also says the two Koreas have to reinforce operational arms control, and establish a forum for peace and cooperation in Northeast Asia.