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An A
ustralian diplomatic mission has returned from North Korea
confident the Pyongyang regime is eager for dialogue to end the
West's concerns over its nuclear ambitions, Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer said Monday.
The first mission to be received by the Stalinist state from a
Western nation since the crisis began developing in October arrived
back at the weekend following talks with senior North Korean
officials.
Downer said the delegation's view was that North Korea was seeking
dialogue on the issue and would welcome it.
The Australian government also believes dialogue is the key to a
successful outcome, he said.
He said the delegation expressed concern about North Korea's
decision to pull out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, expel
International Atomic agency observers and reopen a mothballed
nuclear facility.
The mission strongly urged Pyongyang to commit fully to the treaty,
saying it was not in North Korea's best interests to withdraw from
it.
"As a result of our delegation's visit to North Korea, I have a
greater level of optimism that this issue can be resolved than I
had before the delegation went," he told reporters in
Adelaide.
"I am glad I sent the delegation and they have made a very
constructive contribution to ensuring the Korean Peninsula remains
peaceful." The five-member team, led by Murray McLean, the
Australian foreign affairs department's top North Asia expert,
included John Carlson, director general of Australia's Safeguards
and Non Proliferation Office.
The delegation held talks on Wednesday with Vice Foreign Minister
Choi Su-hon and Foreign Minister Paek Nam-sun.
Downer said he had already discussed the delegation's conclusions
with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Japanese Foreign Minister
Yoriko Kawaguchi and South Korean Foreign Minister Sung-Hong
Choi.
He said he would follow that up by sending McLean to Washington to
give further briefings to US officials while other delegation
members go to Seoul and Tokyo - Sapa-AFP.
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