United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's
special adviser, Maurice Strong, has returned to Beijing after four days
of talks with senior officials in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK).
According to a UN spokesman, Mr. Strong
met with Paek Nam Fun, President of the Supreme People's Assembly, Foreign
Minister Kim Yong Nam and other officials. "Mr. Strong was asked by
the Secretary-General to visit the country to assess the humanitarian situation
there, and the discussions also touched on the current issues affecting
the Korean peninsula," Fred Eckhard told a press briefing.
Mr. Strong is scheduled to report on his trip to the Secretary-General on Wednesday in New York.