Italy has agreed to open diplomatic relations with North Korea, a major diplomatic coup for Pyongyang. Italian Foreign Minister Dini sealed the deal with a North Korean diplomat based in Rome who represents his country at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Italy is the sixth European nation to recognize North Korea (after Austria, Denmark, Finland, Portugal, and Sweden), but the first G7 nation to do so. Italy's ambassador to China will also be its ambassador to North Korea, but will be based in Beijing.--Stephen V Cole