UK to open diplomatic relations with N. Korea

In from the cold: North Korea's leader Kim Jong Il

LONDON, England -- Britain has announced it is to become the latest European country to end 50 years of Cold War and open diplomatic relations with North Korea.

British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said the UK, which has never held formal relations with the communist state, had received "an approach" from North Korea last month and that it would "respond positively" to it.

Relations between the West and North Korea have been thawing since June when South Korean President Kim Dae-jung -- who received the Nobel Peace Prize last week -- held a historic summit meeting with his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Il.

IN-DEPTH Korea: States of War    VIDEO CNN asks Cook why the UK is opening relations now Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     AUDIO Robin Cook: "We hope to help North Korea to understand the modern world" 490K/45 sec. WAV sound

The European Union says Britain will be the seventh EU country to open diplomatic relations with North Korea, after Austria, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Portugal and Sweden.

An EU spokesman told CNN.com: "The EU does not have collective relations with North Korea and it has been the policy up to now, and likely to remain, that it's up to member states. It is a bi-lateral issue."

Cook's announcement on Thursday came at the start of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Seoul where the 15 EU leaders are expected to endorse the efforts of Kim Dae-jung to improve relations between his democratic country and the communist North, and to work toward their eventual reunification.

President Jacques Chirac of France, which currently holds the EU Presidency, has undertaken a state-visit to South Korea in a move intended to show EU support for the Korean reconciliation process.

"Europe is ready to strengthen its dialogue and cooperation in line with progress made in human rights and non-proliferation," a spokesman for Chirac said.

In a further move, the EU is expected to provide $17 million for North Korean farmers to help ease the state's chronic food shortage.

Cook: Opening diplomatic relations would help 'bring North Korea in from the cold'

Cook said: "The president of South Korea is very keen that other countries help to engage North Korea by bringing it in from the cold.

"The more countries that have relations with North Korea and promote dialogue with it, the better chance we have of achieving momentum on the developing peace relations between North and South Korea.

"We also have a quite wide range of concerns about North Korea. If we have diplomatic relations we have a better chance of promoting our dialogue on that and exploring our concerns."

He said establishing diplomatic relations did not imply approval of the regime.

He said: "After all, we have diplomatic relations around the world with governments with whose human rights records...we have very great concerns.

"The advantage of having diplomatic relations is that we can have a dialogue in which we can raise those concerns and express our deep anxiety about the need for improvement in them."

Cook's announcement comes ahead of a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Kim Jong Il.

Albright's two-day visit to Pyongyang, which starts on Sunday, will be followed immediately by a meeting in Seoul with South Korean and Japanese officials.

Albright starts a two-day visit to N. Korea on Sunday

Albright has said she would be "probing to see whether the openings for which Kim Dae-jung got the much-deserved Nobel prize allows for us to look at a different set of relationships with North Korea -- but based on our own national interests."

Kim won the prestigious Nobel award for his push for warmer ties with North Korea. He has made improved relations with the North one of the main planks of his presidency since taking office in 1998.

His meeting with his North Korean counterpart this year was the first meeting of the leaders of the two countries since the end of the Korean War.

Albright's visit could set the stage for one by U.S. President Bill Clinton, possibly in November when he is due to visit Vietnam.

Last week, North Korea's Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok, who is second in power in Pyongyang, visited Clinton at the White House.

The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.

Britain to begin relations with N. Korea
October 19, 2000

European Union
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
U.S. State Department
Republic of Korea

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