World News 20-10-2000 Britain To Renew Diplomacy With North Korea who: Leader of the Commons Robin Cook what: Says Britain will renew diplomatic relations with North Korea where: Seoul, South Korea when: Yesterday snippet: "Britain joined the race to open up North Korea yesterday," says The Independent`s Asia Correspondent Richard Lloyd Parry, "when the Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, announced that diplomatic relations would soon be established between London and the hardline Stalinist government in Pyongyang." "For 50 years Britain and North Korea shared little except mutual antipathy," recalls David Rennie in The Telegraph. "Britain was a prominent member of the UN-authorised alliance that fought the Korean war from 1950 to 1953. Thousands of British and Commonwealth troops took part and about 1,000 died". "The opening of diplomatic relations is not in any way an approval of the conduct of the regime," said Mr Cook, in Seoul with Tony Blair for the Asia-Europe summit. "But it may well be helpful in resolving the strong tension between it and South Korea." Ambassadors from the British embassy in China are expected to be posted to Pyongyang next year, says The Times. "Sweden, Australia and the Philippines have diplomatic relations with the North, and Italy has announced its intention to follow suit," reports Roland Watson. [... more]

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