No. Date

I t L

M181 17 DECEMBER 1991

AUSTRALIA WELCOMES EFFORTS TO REDUCE TENSIONS ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA

Australia welcomed the recent efforts of North and South Korea to reduce tension on the  Peninsula by signing a non-aggression pact, the Acting Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister,  Neal Blewett, said today.

Dr Blewett said the Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-aggression and Co-operation  represented a significant breakthrough in inter-Korean relations.

"Australia hopes the agreement will contribute to the relaxation of tension on the Korean  Peninsula," Dr Blewett said. -

"We also hope that as a result of the signing of this agreement, the Koreas will expand  contacts and work to achieve peaceful reconciliation."

Dr Blewett said Australia hoped that the agreement would play an important part in  assisting the speedy fulfilment by the DPRK of its obligations under the Nuclear NonÂ­  Proliferation Treaty.

"Australia has welcomed already the historic declarations by Presidents Roh Tae Woo and  Bush relating to the nuclear-weapon free state of the ROK.

"Australia has also been encouraged by the tabling last week of the ROK proposal for a  nuclear free Peninsula involving mutual inspection of military and nuclear facilities," Dr  Blewett said.

"Australia again calls on the DPRK to move without delay not only to sign but also  implement its unconditional NPT Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic  Energy Agency and to refrain from the development of a nuclear reprocessing capability."

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Mr Chung Won Shik, and the Premier of the  Administration Council of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Mr Yon Hyong Muk,  signed the Korean agreement on 13 December.

The signing took place during the fifth round of inter-Korean Prime Ministerial talks held in  Seoul.

The understanding includes military confidence building measures, open exchanges of  personnel and media and economic co-operation.

The agreement also calls for the replacement of the existing armistice agreement with a  peace agreement to be negotiated by both countries.

