EU may send nuclear mission to North Korea

The EU today moved closer to sending a high-level diplomatic mission to North Korea in an effort to ease tensions over its nuclear weapons programme.

Officials in Brussels said all EU countries gave their go-ahead for Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, to put together a possible trip to Pyongyang.

Spokeswoman Emma Udwin said while no definite decision was taken at a meeting of EU foreign ministers, they agreed Greece could put together a mission “as they see fit,” and decide when to go.

A possible mission could include Papandreou and the EU’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, Udwin said.

Udwin said the suggestion for such a mission came from South Korea, which, like North Korea, see the Europeans as an independent player in the current crisis.

“South Korea in particular is very keen that we are involved,” she said.

Udwin reiterated that North Korea had to live up to its international obligations in not pursuing a nuclear weapons programme.

“There is complete unanimity for North Korea to resume its responsibilities,” she said.