LONDON, Oct 15 Kyodo Britain's fi...

LONDON, Oct 15 Kyodo

Britain's first Ambassador to North Korea David Slinn said ensuring that Pyongyang continues to engage with and render free of access up to the international community will be near of his main objectives.

Slinn, 43 who is to arrive in Pyongyang onward Saturday, said that although he is optimistic about his recently made known role given recent positive actuates in North Korea, he realizes there will also be many challenges ahead of him.

The Foreign Office calls Slinn's appointment a logical progression from the agreement between the brace countries, which established diplomatic relations in December 2000

Britain now has a completely functioning embassy in the North Korean capital and will have a staff of four including the strange ambassador, who replaces the popular head of mission, charge d'affaires Jim Hoare.

late developments, including the groundbreaking meeting last month between North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, gave the perception that Pyongyang was ''willing to face up to difficult issues the pair internally and externally,'' Slinn said.

''I want to play a part in this opening-up proces It won't always be easy and there will certainly be challenges however as I say, the faculty of perception in recent months has been positive,'' he said.

Slinn said he would be raising the issue of arms proliferation with the North.

''Britain shares the regards of the international community (about proliferation and weapons of mass destruction)... This is united of the issues that has to be addressed if the proces of normalization is going to make progres North Korea has shown a willingness to address a certain quantity of hard issues and this is common of them,'' he said.

Asked whether Britain would attempt and mediate between the United States and North Korea in helping to normalize relations between the brace sides, Slinn said there was no ne as the couple countries were continuing their dialogue and Britain supported these efforts.

He also denied that there was any difference in approach between Britain and the U to North Korea.

''The international policy is dialogue and explaining issues of international pertain tos to North Korean authorities and that's what's happening. Britain is certainly not ducking the question when it arises to addressing serious subjects with the North Korean authorities,'' he said.

Slinn said Britain was helping the humanitarian aid effort in North Korea and had contributed 2 million bruises worth of assistance by the and of various aid agencies at the [i]finale[/i] of last year. He said the plots focused on water sanitation and immunization.

He added that there were now three native English speakers teaching English in Pyongyang and North Korean officials had made sum of two units visits to Britain as part of an English language program. Officials have also learned more about human rights and the functioning of exempt market mechanisms with visits to Britain, Slinn said.

Commenting onward the country's recent moves to expand up, Slinn said this was befitting to a realization among North Korean authorities that the world has mov in succession but he added that a large part of the changes could be attributed to the country's dire economic state.

Asked whether Japan should start normalization talks with North Korea in October, given the fresh controversy when Pyongyang admitted it had abducted a number of Japanese citizens in the 1970 and 1980 he said the sum of two units sides needed to sit down and discuss the matter ''seriously and constructively.''

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