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More European Nations Move to Normalize Ties with DPRK
In a chain reaction to Britain's move for opening diplomatic ties with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), more European ASEM members have announced here their intentions to take concrete moves to normalize their relations with the DPRK.
The South Korean Yonhap news agency said that Germany and the Netherlands have expressed their wish to open dialogue over the establishment of diplomatic relations with the DPRK.
Ireland, Greece and Belgium said that they will follow the European Union's decision on the matter.
The European Union and the DPRK are likely to discuss the issue of opening a communication office in Brussels at the third EU-DPRK talks this year, Yonhap quoted "insiders" as saying.
French officials attending ASEM meeting said that the foreign ministers of the 15 EU countries will discuss the development of their diplomatic ties with the DPRK at a future session of the EU Council of General Affairs.
France, which holds the current rotating EU presidency, supports the efforts of South Korean President Kim Dae-jung to seek a reunification of the Korean Peninsula, said the officials, quoted by Agence France-Presse.
In a response to the DPRK approach for normalizing ties, British Foreign Minister Robin Cook told the BBC radio here Thursday that his country will send a "positive signal" to and make "positive contacts" with the DPRK for establishing diplomatic ties.
The British move was welcomed by South Korea.
Last month, DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun wrote letters to France, Germany, Greece, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Spain and the European Commission for normalizing bilateral relations.
Of the 15 EU members, Italy, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Portugal and Sweden have diplomatic ties with Pyongyang.
The DPRK established diplomatic ties with the Philippines and Australia early this year.
The leaders of the EU countries are currently here attending the third Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). The situation on the Korean Peninsula is one of the major topics for the meeting.
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