As part of its expanding para-diplomatic activities, the IISS at its London headquarters from 18-19 May 2004 convened a meeting to address the security ramifications of North Korea's nuclear activities, and to assess the essential components of any negotiated solution to the current crisis. The event, the second of its kind, was held under the auspices of the Institute’s Korean Security Programme, which in January 2004 produced the comprehensive and well-received IISS Strategic Dossier
North Korea’s Weapons Programmes: A Net Assessment.
The workshop brought the North Korean delegation into contact with a broad range of officials, diplomats and private experts. It featured representation from South Korea's National Security Council, the US Department of Defense and the Japanese and Chinese foreign ministries. The IISS facilitated a number of bilateral meetings between senior diplomats from France and Germany and their North Korean counterparts. Vice-Foreign Minister Kung also took the opportunity of his visit to London to hold discussions at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office with his British counterpart Bill Rammel, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State. Mr Rammel also delivered a keynote address at the IISS workshop.
The Institute feels that it has now established a regular, focused process that can act as a useful complement to official diplomatic efforts.
