Former President Jimmy Carter and three former senior European leaders today reached Pyongyang to try to revive the moribund negotiations on dismantling the North's atomic weapons program. The delegation also plans to address the critical food situation in the country Asia, where more than six million people, a quarter of the population is urgently needed food aid because of the decline of local production, imports of food and international cooperation, according to United Nations.
Carter and his companions, the former Irish president Mary Robinson, former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari and former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Brundtland, the land did not yet know if they will be greeted in Pyongyang by Kim Jong-il, but had previously said that during the visit of three days, hoping to have the opportunity to meet with North Korean leader and his son and expected successor, Kim Jong-un.
The four former presidents western part of the group known as The Elders (The Elders), composed of 12 world-renowned public figures, notably former senior leaders, but also activists and human rights defenders. The trip comes at a time when efforts have intensified to boost six-party talks on denuclearization of the North, where, besides the United States and North Korea, involve South Korea, China, Russia and Japan.
The talks have stalled since December 2008, although Pyongyang formally abandoned in April 2009, after the Security Council the UN condemned the failed launch of a North Korean satellite earlier that April, the West said was actually test an intercontinental ballistic missile. The regime of Kim Jong-il rejected at the same time, all agreements previously reached in the multilateral negotiations, expelled UN nuclear inspectors and said that it would not participate in the forum and would resume its nuclear weapons program .
The following month, held its second nuclear test in its history, which caused international outrage. The first was held in October 2006. Last year, revealed that it has a uranium enrichment program that could provide a new way to stop making nuclear bombs. "At a time when official dialogue with (North Korea) seems to be paralyzed, we want to see how we can help reduce tensions and help the party faces key issues, including denuclearization," Carter said a statement before flying to Pyongyang.
Tensions between North and South reached last year one of the highest levels since the end of the Korean War (1950-1953). In March, Seoul accused his neighbor of torpedoing and sinking one of his corvettes, killing 46 South Korean sailors dead, Pyongyang denied any involvement, "and in November, the North fired their batteries against a South Korean island, killing two civilians and two marines.
Pyongyang accused Seoul of having opened fire prior to its waters. The island lies in a disputed maritime area the two countries. U.S. President Carter between 1977 and 1981, and Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 - in 1994 brokered an agreement that averted a possible war between North Korea and the United States, because the North Korean nuclear program.
He said Monday in Beijing that this time it was sent to Pyongyang as anyone. "Seniors are not in a position to negotiate, we are not mediators. Let us learn what we can and share what we find with the leaders with whom we contact in the future," he said. Diplomatic efforts to advance the nuclear crisis have accelerated in recent weeks.
The Chinese representative at the talks, Wu Dawei, has arrived in Seoul to discuss the crisis, while a South Korean delegation traveled to the United States. The North Korean delegation has been in China this month, according to reports. Pyongyang has expressed interest for months to resume talks, but U.S.
and South Korea have been replicated before must show a responsible attitude "by the two attacks last year and has to take concrete steps to renounce weapons atomic. Few political analysts believe, however, that Kim Jong-il will abandon its nuclear program, because he considers it his only asset deterrent and last negotiating card.
Carter and his group foreseen also discuss the chronic food crisis afflicting the North due to poor crops, lack of investment in agriculture and political isolation. The United Nations says 3.5 million people are in a famine situation "very vulnerable" and conditions will worsen due to cuts in government distribution of food, that has happened this year of 1,400 calories a day person to 700 calories.
"It's a terrible situation and we hope to convince other countries to alleviate (the crisis), including South Korea, which has suspended the supply of food to North Koreans," Carter said in Beijing. "When sanctions against an entire people, who suffer most are the people and leaders who less."
Carter and his companions, the former Irish president Mary Robinson, former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari and former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Brundtland, the land did not yet know if they will be greeted in Pyongyang by Kim Jong-il, but had previously said that during the visit of three days, hoping to have the opportunity to meet with North Korean leader and his son and expected successor, Kim Jong-un.
The four former presidents western part of the group known as The Elders (The Elders), composed of 12 world-renowned public figures, notably former senior leaders, but also activists and human rights defenders. The trip comes at a time when efforts have intensified to boost six-party talks on denuclearization of the North, where, besides the United States and North Korea, involve South Korea, China, Russia and Japan.
The talks have stalled since December 2008, although Pyongyang formally abandoned in April 2009, after the Security Council the UN condemned the failed launch of a North Korean satellite earlier that April, the West said was actually test an intercontinental ballistic missile. The regime of Kim Jong-il rejected at the same time, all agreements previously reached in the multilateral negotiations, expelled UN nuclear inspectors and said that it would not participate in the forum and would resume its nuclear weapons program .
The following month, held its second nuclear test in its history, which caused international outrage. The first was held in October 2006. Last year, revealed that it has a uranium enrichment program that could provide a new way to stop making nuclear bombs. "At a time when official dialogue with (North Korea) seems to be paralyzed, we want to see how we can help reduce tensions and help the party faces key issues, including denuclearization," Carter said a statement before flying to Pyongyang.
Tensions between North and South reached last year one of the highest levels since the end of the Korean War (1950-1953). In March, Seoul accused his neighbor of torpedoing and sinking one of his corvettes, killing 46 South Korean sailors dead, Pyongyang denied any involvement, "and in November, the North fired their batteries against a South Korean island, killing two civilians and two marines.
Pyongyang accused Seoul of having opened fire prior to its waters. The island lies in a disputed maritime area the two countries. U.S. President Carter between 1977 and 1981, and Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 - in 1994 brokered an agreement that averted a possible war between North Korea and the United States, because the North Korean nuclear program.
He said Monday in Beijing that this time it was sent to Pyongyang as anyone. "Seniors are not in a position to negotiate, we are not mediators. Let us learn what we can and share what we find with the leaders with whom we contact in the future," he said. Diplomatic efforts to advance the nuclear crisis have accelerated in recent weeks.
The Chinese representative at the talks, Wu Dawei, has arrived in Seoul to discuss the crisis, while a South Korean delegation traveled to the United States. The North Korean delegation has been in China this month, according to reports. Pyongyang has expressed interest for months to resume talks, but U.S.
and South Korea have been replicated before must show a responsible attitude "by the two attacks last year and has to take concrete steps to renounce weapons atomic. Few political analysts believe, however, that Kim Jong-il will abandon its nuclear program, because he considers it his only asset deterrent and last negotiating card.
Carter and his group foreseen also discuss the chronic food crisis afflicting the North due to poor crops, lack of investment in agriculture and political isolation. The United Nations says 3.5 million people are in a famine situation "very vulnerable" and conditions will worsen due to cuts in government distribution of food, that has happened this year of 1,400 calories a day person to 700 calories.
"It's a terrible situation and we hope to convince other countries to alleviate (the crisis), including South Korea, which has suspended the supply of food to North Koreans," Carter said in Beijing. "When sanctions against an entire people, who suffer most are the people and leaders who less."
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