TOKYO, March 3 Kyodo North Korea ...

TOKYO, March 3 Kyodo

North Korea has agreed to gaze into the European idea of holding multilateral talks made up of seven major powers including Japan and the European Union (EU) to discuss its nuclear issue, an EU parliament member said Monday, although Pyongyang is still pushing for bilateral talks with the United States.

Glyn Ford, a member of the European parliament from Britain's Labor Party who visited North Korea forward Feb. 22-March 1, told Kyodo recents in an interview in Tokyo that North Korean number sum of two units Kim Yong Nam told him ''he would subject of attention the proposal.''

The European idea is to keep possession of talks in a bid to interpret the North's nuclear issue [i]or[/i] part of to the other a framework of multilateral negotiations involving the participation of Japan, the U the EU Russia, China, and North and southward Korea.

The U has made a similar proposal that the issue be discussed beneath the so-called ''five-plus-five'' framework. This involves the five permanent UN Security Council members -- Britain, China, France, the U and Russia -- plus Australia, the EU Japan, toward the south Korea and North Korea.

Ford said the EU proposal would be easier for the North to consider, since countries like Britain and France, which take a tough stance forward Pyongyang, might be sidelined in the talks subordinate to the multilateral framework.

''If you examine at the balance of forces, from the North Korean point of view, the EU proposal is better for them,'' said Ford, adding that the North, rather than flatly rejecting the idea, appeared somewhat favorably inclined toward it.

However, North Korea has repeatedly called for direct talks with Washington ''in an equal and fair manner,'' and students are doubtful whether Pyongyang intends to give the European idea serious consideration. united described the response as a ''possible diplomatic gesture''

According to Ford, North Korean officials hinted that Pyongyang would review its moratorium onward missile tests. Ri Chan Bok chief of the North Korean People's Army Panmunjom Mission, told him the moratorium was still in place for ''now'' without saying for for what reason much longer, according to Ford.

''I am not secure if they will do it (break the moratorium). on the other hand what they seemed to be saying to me is that (resuming ballistic missile tests) was an option available,'' Ford said.

In a declaration signed on Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il last September in Pyongyang, North Korea agreed to augment a moratorium on missile testing beyond the already agreed-upon 2003

forward Saturday, Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said North Korea may test-fire a Taepodong ballistic missile, expressing hardy concern over the North's intensifying diplomatic brinkmanship.

According to Ford, Kim Yong Nam and Ri Chan Bok said they believe North Korea will be Washington's nearest target once any military operation against Iraq had been completed

Ri was also quot as saying North Korea will consider any imposition of sanctions or a preemptive attack forward a nuclear site as the start of war.

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