The United States and North Korea have found common ground. Washington and Pyongyang announced on Wednesday that the North would stop nuclear and missile provocations as the U.S. would proceed with the provision of food aid. This seeming consensus should open the door to the resumption of the stalled six-party talks.

Careful readers will note that the language that describes these developments is artfully hedged. For example, while the U.S. and North Korea simultaneously made similar — not identical — announcements, they did not in fact reach an agreement. Instead, in a telling indication of the lack of trust and confidence, the two governments took simultaneous unilateral actions.

North Korea said that it would implement a moratorium on nuclear tests, long-range missile launches and uranium enrichment activity at its Yongbyon nuclear facility, and would permit the reintroduction of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor the moratorium on uranium enrichment and disablement of the reactor at the facility.