Take With Grain of Salt

The U.S. envoy to talks on North Korea's nuclear program said Tuesday that negotiators reached a tentative agreement on initial steps for the communist nation's disarmament.

Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said the agreement outlined specific commitments for North Korea and would set up working groups to implement those goals to begin meeting in about a month. He declined to give other details.

"I'm encouraged by this that we were able to take a step forward on the denuclearization issue," Hill said.

The keys, as always, are the verification process by which North Korea will adhere to any agreement giving up its nuclear program in exchange for food and economic aid. L'il Kim is an expert in playing the game of cheat and retreat to get exactly what he wants from the rest of the world, but the North Korean economy is in dire shape and his nuclear fizzle last year may have sent the wrong signals to the Chinese government, which doesn't bode well for Kim.

Still, this is a preliminary announcement to a preliminary agreement - nothing is decided and much can change between now and the final agreement.

UPDATE:
Others blogging this developing story: Blue Crab Boulevard, Decision 08, Truthdig, and Ankle Biting Pundits.