By Martha Moss - 20th December 2011
North Korea can and must change in its attitude towards human rights and fundamental freedoms
Jerzy Buzek
Parliament president Jerzy Buzek has called on the North Korean authorities to take "tangible steps" towards improving human rights, following the death of the country's leader Kim Jong-il.
His comments came as North Koreans mourn the death of their 69-year-old leader, with state media reporting that he died of a heart attack on a train on Saturday.
The official news agency KCNA is also said to have declared that Kim Jong-il's son, Kim Jong-un, would take over as North Korea's next leader.
Buzek urged North Korea to "engage constructively in human rights dialogues with the EU", saying the country "can and must change in its attitude towards human rights and fundamental freedoms".
"The European parliament is deeply concerned that human rights in North Korea are denied," he added, calling on the authorities "to make concrete and tangible steps" towards improving conditions.
"The stability of the region is paramount in these difficult days of transition, but a new start is needed now," Buzek said.
He also called on North Korea to allow the inspection of detention facilities by independent international experts and UN representatives.
Anna Rosbach, the vice-chair of parliament's delegation for relations with the Korean peninsula, said the death of Kim Jong-il provides the EU with a "unique opportunity to influence developments in North Korea in a more open direction".
"But it requires us to rethink our current strategy," she said.
The ECR deputy said that during the delegation's visit to the region, "We got a clear impression that the North Korean government is strongly interested in more contact with the EU.
"The EU should send a signal that we are ready for closer relations with North Korea on condition of improvements that will benefit the North Korean population."
"But we must be realistic in our goals. We cannot create an open and free society here and now, but we can use our leverage to pull North Korea in the right direction. We must recognise that it requires a long commitment."
Speaking at a news conference following the EU-Ukraine summit in Kiev, council president Herman Van Rompuy said the EU was "monitoring the situation [in North Korea] closely".
"We are calling on the North Koreans to exercise restraint and a commitment to peace on the Korean peninsula," he said.
