Brussels, 12/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - Reuters reports that the EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, said on Tuesday during a visit to Seoul that a European delegation would be travelling to North Korea "in the short rather than long term" to discuss the nuclear stand-off between Pyongyang and the United States since the North Koreans announced they were resuming their nuclear programme. Greek Presidency sources announced on Monday that the High Level EU mission that was due to visit Pyongyang was being put on hold following uncertainty over a meeting with the North Korean President Kim Jong-il (see Europe of 11 February, p.6). Solana called on Pyongyang to change its position, but felt it would not be appropriate to take sanctions against North Korea.
The governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was meeting on Wednesday to decide whether to refer the issue to the UN Security Council. In theory, the Security Council could issue sanctions against North Korea for violating its international commitments by denouncing the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and expelling the IAEA inspectors responsible for monitoring its nuclear plants. The United States, however, is reported to want to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis and would not call for sanctions against Pyongyang if the issue is referred to the UN Security Council.