NORTH KOREA: A senior US State Department official arrived in Tokyo yesterday en route to North Korea to open high-level talks with a country US President Bush has said is part of an "axis of evil". Mr James Kelly, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, will meet Japanese officials before heading for Seoul and on to Pyongyang tomorrow, US officials said.
Mr Kelly's visit to North Korea marks a diplomatic breakthrough in ties with Washington, which chilled after Mr Bush took office.
The last US delegation to visit Pyongyang was led by then secretary of state Ms Madeleine Albright in October 2000, near the end of Mr Bill Clinton's presidency. Mr Bush ordered a review of North Korea policy after he took office.
Mr Kelly's trip follows a September 17th summit between Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Mr Koizumi and North Korean leader Mr Kim Jong-il, when Mr Kim offered a stunning apology for the abductions of Japanese citizens and the two sides agreed to resume talks on establishing diplomatic relations. North Korea has over the past six weeks agreed to reconnect rail and road links through its border with South Korea.