Australia offers help to North Korea on nuclear safety

November 17, 2000
Web posted at: 7:42 AM HKT (2342 GMT)

HONG KONG (Reuters) -- Australia is willing to provide North Korea with technical assistance on nuclear safeguards as part of its bid to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said on Thursday.

"I urged the North to continue deepening its engagement with the South to further reduce the tensions in the region," Downer, who just completed a two-day visit in Pyongyang, said in a statement.

"I encouraged my interlocutors to take positive steps on nuclear concerns. In this context, I indicated that Australia was willing to provide training and technical assistance on nuclear safeguards," said Downer, who is visiting Hong Kong after his trip to the communist state.

Australia and North Korea resumed diplomatic relations in May after Pyongyang abruptly halted ties with Canberra in 1975.

Downer said he was encouraged by North Korean restraint on the development, production and export of missiles.

"I welcomed the North's offer to abandon its missile programme in return for satellite launches by other countries and its suggestion it would stop the proliferation of missiles if compensated," said the Australian foreign minister.

In 1998, Pyongyang surprised the United States and Japan by test-firing a medium-range Taepodong 1 ballistic missile.

Downer invited Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun to visit Australia and offered to help train North Korean officials in economics and governance.

During his visit to North Korea, Downer also announced that Australia would contribute A$5 million (US$2.6 million) in food aid through the World Food Programme to help the famine-stricken North.

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