Letter: Great example of diplomacy at work

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 | 7:04 a.m.

From 1967 to 2003 I worked for the State Department. Many of those years were spent in Asia, where I learned that when East meets West, mutual trust and understanding rarely result. Given my background, I was both surprised and pleased to read about the success of Gov. Bill Richardson's trip to North Korea.

He accomplished his mission by bringing back the remains of American soldiers. He also far exceeded expectations by obtaining a pledge from Kim Jong Il to permit international inspection of North Korea nuclear facilities. This could be the beginning of the end of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons ambitions, and as a result, the start of a new era of peace and stability in northeast Asia.

Gov. Richardson's trip proves that one skilled and dedicated diplomat can work with members of both political parties and improve relations between countries that have deep-seated differences. The Bush administration has a well-deserved reputation for taking a policy position and sticking to it regardless of changing realities.

But in this instance the president displayed flexibility and common sense by reaching across the aisle and asking a Democrat to help bring an end to the threat in North Korea. He deserves our praise for that decision just as Gov. Richardson should be commended for his willingness to work with a Republican administration in the interest of world peace. Questions involving war and peace are too important to be influenced by partisan political concerns.

The media should provide a strong voice to help the American people insist that a bipartisan approach to international affairs become the norm. True statesmen, such as Bill Richardson, will be hard to find, but they do exist. If we can create an environment that encourages bipartisan diplomacy, they may come out of the woodwork, and America may regain its diplomatic standing in the world.

Ken Rosenberg, Henderson