EU sets action plan for N.K. rapprochement

The European Union (EU) has prepared an action plan for political dialogue with North Korea ahead of its delegation's visit to Pyongyang on Saturday. The action plan, which was announced Thursday by a French foreign ministry spokesman, stipulates that when EU nations develop relations with the North, they will have to take into account Pyongyang's compliance with the obligations set out in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and its signing and ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), as well as its halt to missile and technology exports.

The plan also called for the consideration of Pyongyang's observation of UN conventions concerning North Korea¡¯s improvement of human rights; the guarantee of foreign private groups' activities in North Korea; the guarantee of access to the distribution of aid to North Korean residents; the issuance of visas and provision of conveniences to European journalists; and economic openness.

The measure recommended that the EU member states consult among themselves prior to negotiations with the North on the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations and report the progress of the rapprochement negotiations to the EU general council. The EU delegation, composed of officials from France, the chair of the union, and Sweden, the future chair, as well as the director in charge of Asia of the EU executive committee, is scheduled to visit Pyongyang Nov. 25 and explain the contents of the action plan, the French foreign ministry disclosed.

The EU council and executive committee are also scheduled to study plans that were decided on at the general council on Oct. 9 with regard to the promotion of cooperation with North Korea, primarily in technological aid, and the opening of the EU market to North Korean products.

Kim Sae-Won claire@donga.com