AFP reports that after ten hours of talks over five days with French envoy Jack Lang, North Korea agreed in principle to further discussion with France over the issue of human rights.
Footage of Lang expressively describing his accomplishments and wandering around in the immense lobby of what appears to be the Koryo Hotel can be seen on Chinese television here, in English. (Lang’s televised intro to Foreign Minister, along with Sarkozy’s wish list, is here.)
And although, as I reported earlier, his Socialist rival Aubry was interested in Lang getting an Alliance Française set up in Pyongyang to counter the German Goethe Institut in that city, now rumors in Paris have it that Lang is setting himself up as a future minister with the French-German portfolio; thus he is “learning the language of Goethe,” Le Figaro reports. Liberation reflects the French press themes of the last couple of days: nothing substantial on North Korea, but more speculation about Lang’s role as “bon germanophone” in Franco-German relations. Go figure. But Lang will be answering questions this Mardi/Tuesday [today!] so more North Korea news should be flowing out of that sandy city of Paris at some point.
Adam Cathcart 
1 Comment