washingtonpost.com - Nora Boustany - Diplomatic Dispatches (washingtonpost.com)
Nora Boustany's Diplomatic Dispatches column appears twice weekly in The Washington Post. Read Diplomatic Dispatches for the latest news from the Washington-based diplomatic community.


Even on an Easy Day, Negotiating the Hard Line
During a round of talks with North Korea over the abduction of Japanese citizens, Akitaka Saiki , a Japanese negotiator, pounded the table in frustration. The North Koreans reciprocated with the same gesture. When he threatened to leave, they told him to go right ahead.

Prison to Playhouse: Director Hopes To Bring N. Korean Ex...
To get "Yoduk Story" produced, the director had to put his kidney up for collateral.

July's Calm Disrupted by Stormy Events
In mid-July, Embassy Row usually quiets down as occupants retreat to their home capitals to sip lemonade in the shade or escape to a favored vacation spot. But Washington's diplomatic world was in the grip of high drama this week with the resignation of Colombian ambassador Andrés Pastrana and the Lebanese government's decision to recall its ambassador, Farid Abboud .

Slovenia's Energy-Minded Premier Shares Hopes for a Solut...
Iran was high on the agenda of Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa , who made his first visit to Washington as head of government this week and is hoping to help mediate efforts to bring Tehran on board with a package of proposals regarding its nuclear capability.


Before Graceland, A Less-Publicized Stop At Walter Reed
Loving tender and holding tight are about more than Elvis for Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi . Beneath the spontaneity and flamboyance that his countrymen sum up as Koizumi Theater lies heartfelt compassion.

Colombian Envoy's Title Is New, but Mission Is Same
As Colombian President Andr?s Pastrana drove back from the remote jungles and highlands after a historic meeting with guerrillas linked to the drug trade in the summer of 1998, he caught a glimpse of a low-flying eagle.

A Legacy in Progress
Former Colombian president Andrés Pastrana , who has survived nine assassination attempts, multiple death threats, a kidnapping and a controversial career, is back in the trenches.

Rights Activists Come Knocking At the Iranian Interests S...
Iranian diplomats at the Iranian Interests Section on Wisconsin Avenue listened courteously to a delegation of prominent individuals who came calling last Friday to protest the detention of Iranian professor and philosopher Ramin Jahanbegloo . But the envoys offered no explanation for the arrest or word of when the prisoner might go free.


U.S. Filmmakers Help Bring AIDS Out of the Shadows in China
Two Americans interested in the stigma that AIDS patients face in China started out on a filmmaking journey with goodwill and naivete and ended up with a haunting, award-winning documentary.

House of Sweden, Not Just a Dream
Who said diplomats can't be dreamers?

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