Condoleezza Rice in China

North Korean specialists are dismantling the Yongbyong nuclear reactor but they’re going slow. Their leaders say the US hasn’t lived up to its end of the bargain by taking North Korea off the terrorism and trade blacklists. In Beijing today, Rice said it’s in everyone’s interest that the timeline get back on track. The Chinese Foreign Minister agreed and he said China will continue to press North Korea on disarmament. the agreement spells out a process that would eventually give North Korea a million tons of heavy fuel oil, other economic aid, and diplomatic concessions and exchange North Korea will declare and dismantle its nuclear program. Pyongyang says it has declared all its programs, Washington says it hasn’t, and the declaration is two months overdue. Today Rice dangled a carrot in search of better cooperation. North Korea has good reason to move forward.