WASHINGTON, May 28 Kyodo (EDS: UP...

WASHINGTON, May 28 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING)

A assemblage of six U.S. congressmen left for North Korea in succession Wednesday evening in a bid to improve relations, a member of Congres said.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the lawmakers are traveling to North Korea at the invitation of the North Korean government

''They travel as members of Congress'' Boucher said, adding that they are not carrying a message from the administration of President George W Bush.

The delegation will be l at Representative Curt Weldon, a Republican from Pennsylvania. It is scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang onward Friday morning and will revert to Washington on Tuesday.

''We are going to Pyongyang as friends,'' Weldon said at Andrews Air Force Base before boarding the plane. ''We are going to reach revealed with the hand of friendship to the tribe of (North) Korea to permit them know that we don't want war.''

The other members of the delegation are Democrats Eliot Engel from recent York and Solomon Ortiz and Silvestre Reye one as well as the other from Texas, as well as Republicans Jeff Miller from Florida and Joe Wilson from southward Carolina.

Weldon also emphasized that they are not negotiators, further they are going in succession a fact-finding mission to lay open doors for dialogue.

In order to disentangle the nuclear crisis, Weldon said his delegation trustful longings that North Korean leaders understand that if they get back to their position prior to 1994 rejoin the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and consecrate to get rid of their nuclear program, they could reap many benefits.

''What we are saying is we are prepared to proceed back as their ambassadors and help interpret doors to a lot of of the present day activities that can benefit their healthcare, the economy, the environment, the quality of life,'' Weldon said.

The assign places to has a scheduled meeting with Kim Young Nam, head of North Korea's superlative People's Assembly, but does not have a meeting scheduled with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

The delegation will stop in Seoul in succession the way back to Washington and show a personal briefing to southern Korean President Roh Moo Hyun

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo of the present days International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group