A senior Australian delegation left China this morning for North Korea as the first mission to be received by the isolated state from a Western nation since the nuclear crisis began in October.
Headed by Mr Murray McLean, head of Australia's foreign affairs department's North Asia division, the five-person delegation will hold vice-ministerial talks over four days.
"The purpose of our visit is of course to express our strong views regarding the recent developments in the nuclear issue of North Korea," Mr McLean said.
"We have diplomatic relations with North Korea. We also happen to have a very strong interest in ensuring the stability and security of this region, so we are looking forward to making some contribution towards that end".
Mr McLean said Australia was strongly against the nuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, which would "destabilise" the region.
Another member of the delegation, Mr John Carlson, director general of the Australian Safeguards and Non Proliferation Office, said the message they would deliver to North would be: "Stay in the NPT [nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty]. Abide by the safeguards".
Mr Carlson added that they wanted "to keep a channel open for dialogue" and "to reach a resolution".
AFP