Informal talks held in Finland between North Korean, South Korean and US delegates ended on Wednesday, the Finnish foreign ministry said, describing the talks as constructive. Some 18 delegates from the three countries, including Choe Kang Il, a deputy director general for North American affairs at North Korea’s foreign ministry, came to Finland earlier this week for a “track 2” conference amid a series of diplomatic encounters ahead of a possible US-North Korean summit. Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini said on Tuesday that North Korea denuclearization was not on the table. Last weekend, North Korean and Swedish foreign ministers ended three days of talks in preparation for a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. North Korea is pursuing its nuclear and missile programmes in defiance of UN Security Council sanctions and has made no secret of its plans to develop a missile capable of hitting the US mainland.

Source: Dhaka Tribune March 21, 2018 10:41 UTC