United Nations

 NEW YORK, 17 October (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

 The Secretary-General welcomes the progress between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the United States, achieved during the visit on 9–12 October to Washington by Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok, special envoy of Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the Democratic Republic of Korea National Defence Commission.  He salutes in particular their decision to take steps “to fundamentally improve their bilateral relations”, and their commitment to make every effort “to build a new relationship free from past enmity”.  The inter-Korean process of reconciliation and cooperation is reinforced by these actions.  The Secretary-General calls on the international community to positively respond to the historic changes on the Korean Peninsula.

 The Secretary-General is also pleased to note today’s decision by the General Assembly to include on the agenda of its current session an additional item entitled “Peace, Security and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula”.  He views this initiative as conducive to increasing the support by the international community for the positive developments on the Korean Peninsula.