In the world of unethical salesmanship, it is called "bait and switch."

Promise them one thing and when they get to the point of signing, change the deal so that it's really something else.

That's what North Korea's latest round of gamesmanship amounts to. Shortly after the North Koreans agreed to give up their nuclear arms program and rejoin the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty they laid a huge "but" on the table.

That but was a demand that the United States give North Koreans a light water nuclear reactor to provide electricity to the power-starved country.

The demand was met with polite throat clearing, and little else.

Which is about all the North Koreans could have expected. There have already been far too many promises made and then broken.

Still, there is reason for optimism and for pressing ahead with further talks.

In essence, what the North Koreans are asking for is a return to the situation under President Clinton that was later abandoned by the Bush administration.

Fueled by a belief that the North Koreans were being duplicitous, the Bush administration walked away from an agreement that would have provided light water nuclear power in exchange for North Korea's promise to abandon weapons programs and agree to international inspections.

There is no question about North Korea's ability to say one thing and do another. The United States and other nations have every reason to be cautious.

Still, the proposal for a nuclear stand-down in exchange for massive amounts of aid and a promise to respect North Korea's security cannot be ignored.