Beijing, 28/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - Dominique Girard, "Asie-Océanie" Director at the Quai d'Orsay, who has just returned from Pyongyang after heading a European Union Troika which had taken part in the third meeting of "political dialogue" with North Korea, told several journalists, reports AFP, that "we were pleasantly surprised by their tone on the subjects relating to the situation in the peninsula" (see EUROPE of 25 November, page 4, on the subject of the stance the European Union planned to defend at this meeting, the first meeting of "political dialogue" to take place in North Korea. "We noted among several interlocutors the term "irreversible" regarding the current situation between the two Koreas (after the recent rapprochement between Seoul and Pyongyang) and "great optimism as to how the process will continue", said Mr Girard, who also pointed out that the Troika's discussion partners had "spoken of their discussions with the Americans in optimistic terms".
The Troika, which was mainly received by the North Korean Foreign Minister, was formed of representatives of the future Swedish Presidency of the EU Council and of Javier Solana, High Representative for CFSP.