in the offing

北朝鮮核問題について話し合う「六カ国協議」の再開をめぐる記事（The Daily Yomiuri）からの抜粋。


But prospects of a U.S.-North Korea meeting appear slim, with the U.S. and South Korean chief negotiators saying no plans for such talks are in the offing.


in the offing = (informal) likely to appear or happen soon
= to be about to happen or to be possible
= to be likely to happen soon
= Something that is in the offing is going to happen soon

[形・副]（物事が）まもなく起こりそうな[で]

例文：
○ Tighter airport security regulations could be in the offing.
○ Big changes were in the offing.
○ With an election in the offing, the mayor is anzious to boost his popularity.
○ More attacks could be in the offing.
○ I hear there are more staff changes in the offing.

[the] offing には 沖、沖合 という意味があるので、「まもなく沖から岸へやってくる」というニュアンスがあるのでしょうか。