§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the talks between the United States and North Korea concerning the latter' s nuclear programme. [61860]
§ Mr. Tony LloydThe United States and North Korea meet regularly to discuss a range of issues, including North Korea's nuclear programme. The details of their discussions are a matter for the governments concerned.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Governments of(a) North Korea, (b) South Korea and (c) the United States concerning North Korea's nuclear programme. [61859]
§ Mr. Tony LloydWe regularly discuss North Korean nuclear issues with the US and South Korea, at both Ministerial and official level, bilaterally and collectively at meetings of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation. The UK does not have diplomatic relations with North Korea and no Ministerial talks have been held. Nuclear issues were discussed at official level in November 1997. The UK also intends to raise them in EU Troika and bilateral talks with North Korea on 2 and 3 December respectively.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the United Kingdom has offered to monitor the North Korean nuclear programme. [61861]
§ Mr. Tony LloydThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is responsible for monitoring North Korea's adherence to its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The UK fully supports the work of the IAEA through its contribution to that organisation.
In addition, the UK, through the EU, is strongly committed to the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO), as the best means of resolving the issue of nuclear proliferation on the Korean Peninsula. The EU is a member of the KEDO Executive Board, making a substantial contribution of 15 million ecu a year for five years, of which the UK share is some £1.7 million a year.