FINLAND: South Korean President and EU leaders discuss North Korea nuclear crisis during Finland summit

Record ID: 676453

  • Title: FINLAND: South Korean President and EU leaders discuss North Korea nuclear crisis during Finland summit
  • Date: 9th September 2006
  • Summary: (W3) HELSINKI, FINLAND (SEPTEMBER 9, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE OF HUYN, VANHANEN AND BARROSSO SITTING AT TABLE ON PRESS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 24th September 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Finland
  • Country: Finland
  • Reuters ID: LVA6TKMZA9EM3PT8A3AWYIJS946Q
  • Story Text: After a day of talks and posing for the photographers, South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun, Finnish prime minister Matti Vnhanen and EU comissioner Jose Manuel Barrosso met the gatherd press at the prime ministers office "House of Estates" in the heart of the Finnish capital of Helsinki.
    Roh said he was very pleased with the result of the EU-South Korea talks.
    "The agreement that we just signed is one good example of our co-operation in the scientific fields. EU leaders and I have agreed up on the necessity of diplomatic and peaceful resolution of the North Korea nuclear issue and I ask EU for their continues effort for peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and Mr. Vanhanen and Mr. Barrosso promised continues support of the European Union," he told journalists.
    Also on the agenda was the North Korea crisis, which intensified in July when Pyongyang test-fired a volley of missiles, alarming Washington and Tokyo. That pushed through a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the tests and urging Pyongyang to return to the six-party talks.
    The United States, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia have been involved in the negotiations with North Korea, but talks have been dormant since November after Pyongyang refused to return to the table citing U.S. financial penalties.
    "EU leaders and I have agreed up on the necessity of diplomatic and peaceful resolution of the North Korea nuclear issue and I ask EU for their continues effort for peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and Mr. Vanhanen and Mr. Barrosso promised continues support of the European Union," Roh concluded.
    European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said North Korea should return to the talks without preconditions.
    "About the six party talks I believe that we should go on supporting strongly these talks as diplomatic means of the nuclear and missile stand of with North Korea. We consider that it is in the interest of North Korea to return to the talks without pre conditions and we are ready to support further efforts to find a peaceful solution for this conflict".
    EU officials are also due to hold talks on Saturday with Chinese officials, including Premier Wen Jiabao, which may also cover North Korea.
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