Diplomatic Ties With N. Korea Established

Britain and North Korea opened diplomatic relations for the first time since the hard-line communist state was created more than 50 years ago. The Foreign Office said engagement, not estrangement, was the best policy toward the Asian nation, which until recently was branded by the West as a pariah for its aggressive nuclear and arms proliferation policies. Britain joins Italy, Australia and Canada as nations that have begun official ties with the regime in Pyongyang. London’s decision came after consulting Europe, the United States, Japan and South Korea.