Fed: Australian embassy in North Korea put on hold, Downer
The federal government's confirmed that plans to open an Australian embassy in NorthKorea have been put on hold.
Foreign Affairs Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER says plans to open the embassy in Pyongyanghave been shelved because of the tense stand-off over North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
Mr DOWNER says the government had warned North Korea that normalising relations betweenthe countries could not proceed while the regime refused to comply with nuclear non-proliferationobligations.
Mr DOWNER's told ABC radio that Australia won't be opening an embassy in Pyongyangfor the time being.
But Mr DOWNER says because Australia is only one of three nations which maintain relationswith North Korea, maintaining dialogue is important.
US Defence Secretary, DONALD RUMSFELD has warned that Washington's capable of takingmilitary action to force North Korea into nuclear compliance while at the same time actingagainst Iraq.
North Korea's responded by accusing the US of risking a nuclear war, and vowing tofight to the end if provoked.
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KEYWORD: KOREA AUST (CANBERRA)
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