AUSTRALIA IN PUSH TO STOP NORTH KOREAN ILLEGAL TRADE

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia said it would push for international action to
stop North Korea (news - web sites) from trading in illegal goods such as
drugs and nuclear materials, but said proposals for a naval blockade were
too simplistic.

Speaking ahead of a major international meeting in Madrid due to discuss
the North Korean crisis on Thursday, Prime Minister John Howard said he had
discussed the idea of a blockade with US President George W. Bush (news -
web sites) when the two leaders met in Texas last month.

"Certainly the idea of being involved in such an interdiction is something
that we've looked at in a very proactive fashion," Howard said on public
television late Wednesday.

"I think the countries not only of the region but more broadly speaking of
the world have got to look at different ways of handling the North Korean
problem," he said.

"It's a very direct interest to Australia because it's in our region and
that's why we're looking at all the various possibilities."

Howard said that while imposing a blockade on the unpredictable regime in
Pyongyang would be risky, he hoped it would convince North Korea to abide
by its international obligations and halt its nuclear program.

"Everything about North Korea is a bit dangerous, to put it mildly, and we
hope that with different responses and different strategies we can persuade
North Korea to see the wisdom of coming back into the non-proliferation
tent," he said.

But Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the United Nations (news - web
sites) would not give approval for boarding North Korea ships or forcing
down their aircraft.

"No, not as simply as that. They wouldn't. What we are looking at is
something slightly more sophisticated - looking for ways of being able to
interdict illicit trade in drugs as well as in nuclear materials, weapons
of mass destruction materials," Downer told the Nine network.

He said the legal aspects of a blockade would be complicated.

"It would be very difficult to deal with that," he said. "But that is why
we are having meetings in Tokyo and today in Madrid in order to address
those difficult legal questions."

Downer said collective action on North Korea would be on the agenda
Thursday in Madrid when officials from Australia, the United States,
Britain and EU members meet.

Howard said he expected to discuss the issue during visits to South Korea
(news - web sites) and Japan next month.

The moves follow North Korea's confirmation this week of long-standing
international suspicions that it is seeking nuclear weapons to counter what
it sees as a threat posed by the United States.

It also follows Australia's seizure in its territorial waters of a North
Korean freighter allegedly used to smuggle a large consignment of heroin
into the country.

The ship's 30-strong crew included an official of North Korea's ruling
Workers Party. They are in Australian custody facing trial for drug smuggling.

The United States and Australia hold strong suspicions that impoverished
North Korea uses its ships to smuggle illicit cargo such as drugs to prop
up its shattered economy.

Downer said the measures to be canvassed in Madrid would include changes to
international law to facilitate interdiction in international waters,
although initially Australia wants countries to stop and board suspect
ships in territorial waters.

North Korea on Wednesday pulled out of an ASEAN regional meeting in
Cambodia, where leaders had hoped talks would help reduce tensions on the
Korean peninsula over Pyongyang's nuclear program. No reason was given.