French special envoy visiting Pyongyang

(ATTN:CHANGES dateline; ADDS Lang's comment at Beijing airport in para 6)
SEOUL/BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Yonhap) -- A special envoy of French President Nicolas
Sarkozy on North Korea arrived in Pyongyang on Monday, the North's media said, in
a visit reportedly aimed at exploring ways of improving relations with the
communist state.
"Jack Lang, special envoy of the French president, and his party arrived here by
air," the Korean Central News Agency said. It gave no other details.
France is one of the few countries in the European Union that does not have
diplomatic ties with North Korea.
Lang visited South Korea, Japan and the United States last month and said France
was seeking ways of contributing to regional negotiations over the North's
nuclear weapons program. The envoy is expected to propose economic aid from the
EU on condition of progress in Pyongyang's denuclearization.
It was not yet known whether Lang would be granted a meeting with North Korean
leader Kim Jong-il during his five-day trip. The French Socialist party member
and former culture minister is expected to submit a report on his North Korea
visit to Sarkozy after his return from Pyongyang on Friday.
Before departing Beijing's Shoudu Airport for Pyongyang, Lang told reporters he
was carrying a "special message" from President Sarkozy and that he was hoping
to meet a very important person in North Korea. He added that Sarkozy hopes for
a meeting between his envoy and Kim.
The news agency also said a delegation from the Swiss Foreign Ministry arrived on
the same flight. It did not give the purpose of the Swiss visit.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)