New Europe link to North Korea

EC hopes to create stability on the Korean peninsula

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The European Commission is to establish diplomatic relations with North Korea in an effort to secure reconciliation on the Korean peninsula.

The European Union's executive body said on Monday that it is also looking to give a boost to North Korea's "economic reform and easing of the acute food and health problems."

The move follows a gradual thawing of relations between the EU's member states and Pyongyang and comes at a time when the United States' administration under George W. Bush is reviewing its policy towards the communist state.

The EC delegation in Seoul said in a statement: "It is hoped that this will facilitate the European Community's efforts in support of reconciliation in the Korean Peninsula, and in particular in support of economic reform and easing of the acute food and health problems (in the North)."

The South Korean Foreign Ministry welcomed the EU announcement.

It said: "The decision of the EU and North Korea to establish diplomatic relations will positively contribute to achieving peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and improving inter-Korean relations."

The two Koreas remain technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended in an armed truce rather than a peace treaty.

The commission said it would start talks soon with North Korea on the next steps to work out how the EU will be represented in Pyongyang and how soon the North Koreans can open a mission to EU headquarters in Brussels.

Last week the EU's External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten, said human rights in North Korea remained an issue.

"We're at the beginning of...a very long and winding and stony road," he said.

Patten and his colleagues secured pledges from the North to open talks on human rights, as well as to extend a moratorium on missile testing, during a recent high-level delegation visit.

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European Union
Democratic People's Republic of Korea

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