Britain to Establish Diplomatic Ties with DPRKBritish Foreign Secretary Robin Cook will announce imminently his country's decision to send a "positive signal" to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries.A British spokesman for Cook told Xinhua that Cook took the dramatic move on his plane bound for Seoul. Cook arrived earlier Thursday to attend the two-day third Asia-Europe Meeting. "Positive contact" will be made to this effect as a common approach of the European Union (EU), the spokesman said. The spokesman said that Cook will appear on BBC in minutes to make a formal announcement regarding Britain's willingness to normalize diplomatic ties with the DPRK. The British move was taken in response to a recent approach to the EU from the DPRK with a view to establishing diplomatic ties. Last month, DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a letter to Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and the European Union, proposing to establish diplomatic relations with the nine European countries. So far this year, the DPRK has established diplomatic relations with Italy, Australia and the Philippines. DPRK's Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok visited Washington last month as a special envoy of DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, who held a historic summit this June in the DPRK capital of Pyongyang with South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, changing the situation dramatically on the Korean Peninsula. On her way home from the Middle East Wednesday, US State Secretary Madeleine Albright announced her plan to leave for Pyongyang Sunday for a three-day visit. During her stay in Pyongyang, she is expected to make preparation for the proposed visit by US President Bill Clinton to the DPRK. Canada is reportedly in talks with the DPRK and a senior German Foreign Ministry official is also in Pyongyang for talks on issues of common interest. The Korean issue will be one of the key topics at the Seoul ASEM meeting which opens Friday. Many ASEM countries have expressed their support to the improvement of inter-Korean relations. A Declaration on Peace on the Korean Peninsula will be adopted at the conclusion of the biennial meeting as one of the three key documents. The other two documents are the Chairman's Statement and the Asia-Europe Cooperation 2000. |
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