Canada has dispatched Marius Grinius, its ambassador to South Korea, to
Pyongyang on a diplomatic mission in an attempt to smooth tense international
relations over the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the government
confirmed on Saturday.
The news of Grinius' visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK) was first announced by the South Korean delegation after President Roh
Moo-hyun met with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper earlier Saturday in
Hanoi.
They are in the Vietnam's capital to attend the 14th Economic Leaders'
Informal Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
The Canadian government had confirmed the news several hours after the
announcement of South Korean delegation.
Grinius is "now in DPRK and plans to deliver a strong message for the
resolution of the nuclear issue," Roh's office said in a statement.
"The message he is delivering is frank and clear: give up the nuclear missile
tests and return to the six-party talks," an unidentified Canadian official told
reporters in Hanoi.
Meanwhile, Canadian government has denied reports that the U.S. asked Canada
to help patrol waters around DPRK to ensure that no nuclear weapons could come
into the country by sea.
