This development could be good news. We may not have to worry about a nuclear North Korea.

North Korea agreed Tuesday after arduous talks to shut down its main nuclear reactor and eventually dismantle its atomic weapons program, just four months after the communist state shocked the world by testing a nuclear bomb.

The deal marks the first concrete plan for disarmament in more than three years of six-nation negotiations, and could potentially herald a new era of cooperation in the region with the North's longtime foes -- the United States and Japan -- also agreeing to discuss normalizing relations with Pyongyang.

Under the deal, the North will receive initial aid equal to 50,000 tons heavy fuel oil within 60 days for shutting down and sealing its main nuclear reactor and related facilities at Yongbyon, north of the capital, to be confirmed by international inspectors.

For irreversibly disabling the reactor and declaring all nuclear programs, the North will eventually receive another 950,000 tons in aid.

Of course there are problems with the deal, starting with the fact that North Korea has cheated in the past. In addition, as pointed out by former UN Ambassador John Bolton, the message this may send is that holding out and stonewalling may get a country aid, thereby encouraging more rogue states to seek nukes.

Posted by: Greg at 11:39 PM | Comments (20) | Add Comment
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