European peace monitors express concern over Korea

Poland, Sweden and Switzerland - members of a commission to supervise the Korean armistice - expressed concern about the status…

Poland, Sweden and Switzerland - members of a commission to supervise the Korean armistice - expressed concern about the status of relations on the peninsula in a statement issued today.

The three countries, members of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) established to monitor the 1953 Korean ceasefire, said they are "very worried about recent events on the peninsula", especially recent revelations about North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

They are committed to "benefiting from 49 years of uninterrupted experience of contributing to peace efforts on the Korean peninsula with the NNSC," Swiss Foreign Minister Mr Joseph Deiss said.

The United States accused North Korea last month of admitting to having a secret nuclear weapons programme during US special envoy Mr James Kelly's visit to Pyongyang in October.

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Washington accused the North of violating the 1994 agreement by continuing to build nuclear bombs with enriched uranium.

US President George W. Bush has called North Korea part of the "axis of evil", along with Iraq and Iran.

AFP