Brussels, 14/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Union will establish diplomatic relations with the Peoples' Democratic Republic of Korea, in view of facilitating the reconciliation of the two States of the divided peninsula, announced the European Commission on Monday. The move - that it undertook after having consulted the Member States and after a silence procedure that none of them, they officially insisted, has broken - was welcomed by the South Korean authorities as a "positive contribution to the pacification and stabilisation of the region, as well as the improvement of relations with its northern neighbour". This is the result of the modestly fruitful visit that we made to Pyongyang, felt Commissioner Chris Patten, when referring to the recent mission by the European Troika to the region (see EUROPE of 8 and 4 May), while positive signs come from Washington as to the return of dialogue between the United States and North Korea.
In a letter sent, the same day, to his North Korean counterpart, the Community head for external relations notified the positive answer from the Union to the proposal made by Pyongyang last September, to normalise their relations. The decision, which stems from the competence of the European Commission, was taken in consulation with the Member States, and most recently during a formal exchange of views with the General Affairs Council, in the hope of enhancing the Union support for reconciliation within the Korean peninsula and, in particular, support the economic reforms and ease the chronic food and health problems in North Korea. The silence procedure, allowing the Community Executive to take this decision if there is no objection from any of the Fifteen, had been extended from 5 May until midnight Saturday, at a request from a delegation. According to various concordant diplomatic sources, reservation on the part of France is why additional time was needed for additional reflection. This was formally denied by a Quai d'Orsay spokesman. "The French Presidency had launched this approach by recalling the four main concerns of inter-Korean dialogue, the working conditions of NGOs and international agencies working to provide humanitarian assistance to the North-Korean population, disarmament, human rights and democracy, he stressed. He went on to specify that, for France, the only Member State with Ireland not to have formal links with this country, the essential thing is "that there is no erosion at the level of requirements" towards North Korea by sending the "hot potato" on towards other European capitals. It has not been able to confirm this. One thing is clear, he added: even if the informal discussion among foreign ministers, on 5 May, "was very complicated", "we all agree on the principle but not on modalities".
At this stage, Belgium officially notified to the High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, its reservation about the installation of a North-Korean mission at the Union headquarters. It suggested that the North Korean representation in Stockholm would fulfil this function during an initial stage. While confirming that there is no objection to the normalisation of Euro-Korean relations, this Member State hopes that the next stages to be accomplished at Community level will be modelled on what was agreed with Pyongyang at the beginning of the year during the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. Speaking on the sidelines of the General Affairs Council, Mr Patten said it was now a matter of discussing modalities and how to proceed. On this point too, the decision-making power is in the hands of the Community executive but informal consultations are scheduled with the Fifteen. Talks with Pyongyang will begin "soon", Commission sources stipulated.
In South Korea, the Foreign Ministry welcomed the "EU's decision and that of North Korea to establish diplomatic relations". That "will make a positive contribution to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and improve inter-Korean relations", sources in Seoul say. A few days earlier, a government official welcomed the forthcoming resumption of the dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, that the Bush Administration suspended for a time to review American policy vis-à-vis North Korea. At the end of a meeting in Seoul with American Under-Secretary of State Richard Armitage, just before the weekend, a source close to the South Korean Minister of Unification, the Political director Lee Bong-jo, declared: "we received confirmation of the resumption of American talks with North Korea and Washington strongly backed South Korea's Sunshine Policy". "This confirmation is itself a message to North Korea", but, "we must still wait for its reply", this senior official stipulated. "For the time being, we are not speaking to Pyongyang but I suspect we will be doing in the near future", Mr. Armitage had said.