Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader sees that North Korea has agreed (in principle) to give up its nuclear program in exchange for cheap oil, cheap food, and security guarantees. The Rueters article is here.

This is a promising start for the week. Of course, as with all interactions with a xenophobic Stalinist dictatorship one will have to wait to see what Kim will actually do. He’ll agree in principle to just about anything to get himself some space and bargaining room.

The tenor of the various ministers negotiating in Beijing appears to be upbeat. So who knows, perhaps this is a breakthrough. Until he sees some progress on the North Korean side your Maximum Leader will remain sceptical.

Carry on.