LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Any real solution to the North Korean nuclear crisis will ultimately be a "grand bargain" with military, economic, political and diplomatic components. Fashioning that deal will require aggressive and creative thinking. The lack of trust in Pyongyang and Pyongyang's lack of trust in other governments means that verification measures will be extremely important -- as well as extremely difficult to create.

One option -- a Korean Peninsula Nuclear Verification Regime -- was tabled last week at a meeting of nuclear-energy experts from the Asia Pacific region. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific, a network of think tanks that Pacific Forum CSIS of Honolulu helped to found a decade ago.

CSCAP is a "track-two" organization: It brings together experts and officials to discuss regional foreign policy and security issues. Because all meetings are off the record, we can pursue dialogue, build confidence and float ideas without claiming to speak for our governments.