North Korea

NYT reported North Korea agreed to end its nuclear weapons program this morning in return for security, economic and energy benefits, potentially easing tensions with the United States after a three-year standoff over the country's efforts to build atomic bombs.

I hope they mean it this time. They promised Clinton the same thing, but they kept right on going. As Ronald Reagan said: "Trust, but verify"

The United States, North Korea and four other nations participating in nuclear negotiations in Beijing signed a draft accord in which Pyongyang promised to abandon efforts to produce nuclear weapons and re-admit international inspectors to its nuclear facilities. Foreign powers said they would provide aid, diplomatic assurances and security guarantees and consider North Korea's demands for a light-water nuclear reactor.

The important thing is to make sure they do not retain the ability to enhance uranium, or reprocess fuel rods. Give them a guarantee of fuel from any of several other countries, but make sure they can't enhance uranium, or reprocess fuel rods.

The agreement is a preliminary one that would require future rounds of negotiations to flesh out, as it does not address a number of issues, like timing and implementation, that are likely to prove highly contentious. China announced that the six nations participating in the talks would reconvene in November to continue ironing out the details.