International

Translating 'Unacceptable' from the Diplomat-ese

By Mike Shuster, Alex Chadwick

Published October 5, 2006 at 10:00 AM PDT

This story was published more than 18 years ago.

"Unacceptable" was the identical response of diplomats from the U.S., South Korea and Russia to North Korea's recent announcement that it plans a nuclear weapon test. What does the word "unacceptable" actually mean in diplomatic language?

International

Mike Shuster

Mike Shuster is an award-winning diplomatic correspondent and roving foreign correspondent for NPR News. He is based at NPR West, in Culver City, CA. When not traveling outside the U.S., Shuster covers issues of nuclear non-proliferation and weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, and the Pacific Rim.

Alex Chadwick

For more than 30 years, Alex Chadwick has been bringing the world to NPR listeners as an NPR News producer, program host and currently senior correspondent. He's reported from every continent except Antarctica.