|
European Union Ambassador to Seoul Dorian Prince said Thursday, North Korea's confession that it had a secret uranium enrichment program meant planned cooperation with Pyongyang, including the transfer of technology and the introduction of North Korean products to the European market, had been suspended. Ambassador Prince told a press conference at the Lotte Hotel that future cooperation with the EU would only be possible when the North scraps the nuclear program.
He noted the EU, which has endeavored to get North Korea to join the international community since 1999, was shocked by North Korea's admission that it was developing a nuclear program in head-on violation of international agreements, including the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Prince said, however, the EU supports settlement of the problem through dialogue, and for this will continue to provide humanitarian assistance and food aid while opening the door to talks with the North.
Many European businesses are interested in the North Korean economy, Ambassador Prince said, but the uncertainty of North Korea's political situation and reliable economic statistics were problems.
(Kwon Kyung-bok, kkb@chosun.com )
|
