Washington, April 27: Former US President Jimmy Carter and several other former leaders are in North Korea to discuss Pyongyang’s stalled disarmament nuclear talks.
The three-day visit aims at persuading the North to return to the disarmament talks with the US, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia.
The group includes former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, former Irish President Mary Robinson and former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Brundtland.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, the former world leaders first met with North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun. No further details were provided.
The delegation, who will stay in Pyongyang until Thursday before flying to South Korea, is hoping to hold talks with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il and his son.
The US State Department has said Carter is carrying no official message.
The six-party talks aim at forcing Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear program in return for aid and diplomatic recognition.
Pyongyang quit the talks after the United Nations imposed sanctions on the country over its nuclear and missile tests.
North Korea accuses US President Barack Obama of plotting with regional allies to topple the country’s government, insisting that its nuclear program is a deterrent against US forces in the region.
——–Agencies