North Korean parliamentary delegation challenged on nuclear test by EU Parliamentarians

Members of the North Korean parliament were strongly challenged by MEPs at an inter-parliamentary meeting on Tuesday over the announcement that North Korea had performed an underground nuclear test. The North Korean delegation responded by saying that North Korea was defending itself against the United States.

The nuclear test was condemned by Hubert Pirker (EPP-ED, AT), who is chair of the EP delegation for relations with the Korean peninsular, as "a deliberate provocation of the entire international Community and a completely irresponsible act". Graham Watson (ALDE, UK) said that "knowing how terrible nuclear weapons are", MEPs "must and will condemn every breach of the Non-Proliferation Treaty." Jim Nicholson (EPP-ED, UK) said that North Koreans had made themselves "pariahs in the eyes of many in the EU".

The head of the North Korean delegation of the Supreme People's Assembly, Ri Jong Hyok, said that the nuclear test was "a result of the relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States. We had to take measures in order to obtain a nuclear deterrent against the Americans. Our country has suffered severe sanctions and pressures for over 60 years and our security interests have been seriously infringed." The test was a "matter of life and death," he continued. If, however, financial sanctions were lifted, North Korea would be ready to resume talks.

Asked by Gérard Onesta (Greens/EFA, FR) how North Korea viewed the reaction by China to the nuclear test, Mr Ri replied that when taking essential measures, it is "not necessary to look at the other's face. Every country has its interests and no other country can represent our interests."

In the discussion on human rights, which was introduced by István Szent-Iványi (ALDE, HU), Mr Ri argued that respect of human rights cannot be judged on the basis of one single standard: "For countries such as ours, whose right of survival is threatened by the US, the right to sovereignty is the most important human right." The North Korean delegation leader added that the "issue of human rights should therefore not be used as a means to justify pressure and hard-line policies against a sovereign state."

Apart from alleviating the pressure on his country, Mr Ri had one other request to the EU: to give development aid rather than humanitarian aid and provide access to modern fisheries technology.

| Arriba |

• EU Parliamentarians condemn North Korean nuclear test in debate with Solana (12/10/2006)
• "North Korea" - Speech by EU Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner (11/10/2006)
• Corea del Norte: Resumen de la intervención de Solana, Alto Representante de la UE para la PESC, ante el pleno del Parlamento Europeo sobre los últimos acontecimientos  (11/10/2006)
• EUHR Solana welcomes closer links between Japan, China and Republic of Korea, and expresses support in the wake of DPRK nuclear test (10/10/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement on the carrying out of a nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (9/10/2006)
• EUHR Solana condemns nuclear test by North Korea (9/10/2006)