Porto Carras (Greece), June 20: The European Union issued stern warnings to North Korea and Iran today over their suspected nuclear activities, according to a draft statement being considered by EU leaders. The text urged Stalinist North Korea "to visibly, verifiably and irreversibly dismantle its nuclear programmes" and to respect fully its international non-proliferation obligations.

On Iran, the EU voiced its concern over "certain aspects" of its nuclear programme and called on Tehran to urgently sign an international protocol allowing surprise inspections of suspect sites, according to the draft obtained by AFP.

The US adminstration last year lumped Iran and North Korea together with Saddam Hussein's Iraq as an "axis of evil" it said was developing Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Bureau Report