Breakthrough in Korea?

WaPo reports:

BEIJING, Sept. 19 -- China announced Monday that negotiators from six nations have reached agreement under which North Korea pledged to dismantle its nuclear arms program in return for recognition and aid from the United States and its Asian allies.

Although it included only general terms, the accord marked the first specific agreement since the six-party negotiations opened under Chinese sponsorship in August 2003. It was designed to serve as the basis for further talks on the timing of the taking down of North Korea's nuclear weapons program and the corresponding provision of economic aid and diplomatic relations and other inducements for the government of Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang.

Although only preliminary, the agreement was a triumph for China, which has undertaken to host and referee the talks on a major Asian security problem. The mission has been a new exercise in leadership for China, emerging as a regional leader after years of standing on the sidelines and preaching non-interference in other countries' affairs.

Read it here.

Specifics:

According to a joint statement issued at the talks' conclusion, the North "committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and returning at an early date" to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

"The six parties unanimously reaffirmed that the goal of the six-party talks is the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner," the statement said.

Responding to Pyongyang's claims that it needs atomic weapons for defense, North Korea and the United States pledged to respect each other's sovereignty and right to peaceful coexistence, and also to take steps to normalize relations.

"The United States affirmed that it has no nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula and has no intention to attack or invade (North Korea) with nuclear or conventional weapons,"

from AP read it here.

CNN has the text of the agreement here.

Don't get too excited. This is only a preliminary agreement and Korea will continue its "peaceful" nuclear power programs, and much still has to be worked out, expecially as regards verification, but it's an important first step toward bringing North Korea back into the community of nations.

It is also a diplomatic triumph for both the US and China and goes a long way toward easing tensions between the two powers and points the way toward future cooperation.

Not bad for a "simplistic" cowboy administration.

AP photo

James Joyner at Outside the Beltway agrees. He writes:

While this is certainly a step forward after years of recalcitrance on the part of Pyongyang, this is a rather hollow agreement. Indeed, the Kim government made similar concessions a decade ago and soon abrograted. Let's see how strong the enforcement regimes are before getting too excited about this development.

Sister Toldjah wonders,

if John Kerry, who was so against six party talks in favor of "unilateral" discussions between the US and North Korea, will extend any praise towards the President for sticking to his guns on the six nation talks.

Not very likely.

Dan Darling over at Winds of Change predicts:

If this in fact pans out, people who have previously argued that the North Korean diplomacy was a complete failure will now start arguing that this would have happened anyway regardless of what the US did.

Of course..., I would expect nothing less. Political hackery prevails over all reason.

It could be just the fact that foreign leaders after the election realized that they would have to put up with Bush for four more years, but hasn't American diplomacy become much more productive under Condi than under her exalted predecessor? Hmmmm.