18/04/2018 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 18 April, the head of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with the Korean peninsula, Nirj Deva (ECR, UK), made a call for parties not to be too ambitious and to ask for denuclearisation in phases. "North Korea should propose denuclearisation certainly by starting with a freeze on its nuclear trials. This is the first step, and this freeze could lead to full denuclearisation", Deva said at a conference in Strasbourg (see EUROPE 11981). The MEP has held secret discussions with North Korean officials. "I call on those who want to demand total denuclearisation straight away to stop", he added. According to Deva, if Kim Jong-un offers a freeze it will "already be a victory for diplomacy". The MEP added that it was important to guarantee the verifiability of a freeze and denuclearisation. (CG)