Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if progress has been made in dealing with North Korea and the proliferation of nuclear weaponry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13506/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The issue of the nuclear programme of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK, is kept under close and regular scrutiny within the European Union. There are, however, very few sources of reliable and independent information concerning its nature.

The DPRK's nuclear programme is being addressed within the framework of the six party talks, SPT, process involving China, the DPRK, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the United States. Three rounds of talks have taken place to date but the process is currently stalled.

However, on 10 February 2005, the DPRK announced that it has produced and now possesses nuclear weapons and that it is to suspend its participation in the SPT for an indefinite period.

On 24 April, the DPRK authorities announced that they were steadily strengthening their nuclear arsenal. The international community has expressed serious concern at these latest developments and intensive diplomatic efforts to convince the DPRK to return to the talks process are under way. Mr. Christopher Hill, the recently appointed head of the East Asia and Pacific Affairs Bureau of the US State Department, is currently in the region where he is conducting talks with the key parties on the issue.

The DPRK was the subject of discussion most recently at the meeting last month of the IAEA board of governors in Vienna. The EU strongly condemned the DPRK's announcement of 10 February 2005 and again urged it to completely dismantle any nuclear weapons programme in a prompt, transparent, verifiable and irreversible manner. The EU also indicated its support for the efforts of the IAEA director general to enter into dialogue with the DPRK with a view to restoring the verification role of the IAEA.

In a subsequent statement issued on 3 March, the IAEA board of governors expressed serious concern over the DPRK statement of 10 February and made clear that the DPRK nuclear issue was a serious challenge to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, as well as to the peace and stability of north-east Asia. The board emphasised the importance of continued dialogue to achieve a peaceful and comprehensive solution of the DPRK issue and, in this regard, said it attached great importance to the crucial role played by the six party talks. The board strongly encouraged all parties to redouble their efforts to facilitate a resumption of the SPT at an early date and without preconditions.

Ireland, together with our partners in the EU, supports the SPT process and urges the DPRK to co-operate with the international community to find a solution to the nuclear issue. While not directly involved in these talks, the EU has availed of every opportunity to confirm the Union's willingness to contribute to the international efforts to move matters forward. The Union has also indicated its readiness to consider enhanced co-operation with the DPRK if the present difficult situation can be resolved in a satisfactory manner.