North Korea and Greece establish ties

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is forging ties with European economies

TOKYO, Japan -- North Korea has established diplomatic relations with Greece, marking another step in the isolated state's efforts to improve ties with the outside world.

Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announcement on Friday, added Greece to a growing list of countries to establish ties with the Stalinist state.

Germany and Luxembourg had forged relations with North Korea in the past week.

Anxious to attract economic assistance, North Korea said last year it wanted to set up relations with a number of European Union members.

France and Ireland are the only countries of the 15-member EU yet to establish ties with the communist state.

In January, Pyongyang established relations with the Netherlands, following a flurry of negotiations that set up ties last year with Britain, Canada, Italy and Australia.

Greece's move towards closer links with North Korea comes at a time when the U.S. was toughening its stance towards Pyongyang.

U.S. President George W. Bush said in a meeting with South Korean President Kim Dae-jung in Washington that he viewed secretive North Korea as a threat and doubted the country's regime could be trusted to honor any new arms control pact.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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North Korea
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